


'Always' Starting A Bit Sooner

by pjiminshair



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: ARGUS!Felicity, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, BAMF Felicity Smoak, Established Relationship, F/M, Married Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak, Tommy finds out
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-07-16 12:50:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 98,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16086470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pjiminshair/pseuds/pjiminshair
Summary: Olicity Fanfic ARGUS!Felicity Married!Olicity AUOrWhat if Oliver and Felicity met at ARGUS three years before Oliver Queen was found alive? What if they still fell in love, despite Oliver being at his darkest? What if Oliver Queen still came back to Starling City to right his father's wrongs? Only this time, with a wedding ring and a more emotionally stable mind-set?





	1. You took me back in time (To when I was Unbroken)

Oliver looked at the woman sleeping next to him, Blonde hair fanning around her pillow like strands of gold, her pink mouth soft and relaxed, brows scrunched only slightly as if she was still concentrating on something even as she slept. She looked adorable, and Oliver had to bend down to kiss her to remind him that she was all his.

 

He had met Felicity Smoak three years ago in Hong Kong when he had been, for a lack of a better word, recruited for ARGUS. She had been a surprise, a reprise from everything that was dark and bad with her bright smile and whip-sharp mind. Oliver had been the darkest he had ever been when they had met, having had to torture people for information on a regular basis. But then she came along, ten months after Oliver was recruited, one of the Argus agents bought in a young girl of 20 years as their new weapon against anything tech, and Oliver had wanted to kill every last one of them for wanting to corrupt a soul that looked so pure even to a monster like him.

 

But Felicity surprised him, she kept up with Amanda Waller sometimes even better than Oliver himself could, and when they started pairing up for assignments, Oliver found out just how good she was.

 

He also realized that most people cared more about their money than they did about their body parts. Felicity was good at interrogations. All Oliver had to do was scare their target shitless and then Felicity would swoop in and threaten every penny they had.

 

It worked like a charm most of the time.

 

The next two years they spent together, were wonderful. They both had jobs they could stomach because of each other, even if they didn't like them, and they were in love. Oliver was sure Felicity was God's way of apologizing for everything he went through on the island. She was everything that was light in his world. A bright north star and all he could ever hope to do was follow her lead out of the darkness.

 

That was before Amanda Waller gave him his last assignment.

 

“You want me to infiltrate the Russian Mafia?” He looked at her incredulously, but Waller’s expression didn't change,

 

“The Bratva, yes. It's supposed to be a year long expedition.” Oliver scoffed at that,

 

“I'm not doing it, Waller. This isn't like before. I have a family now, a wife. I'm not leaving her for a year.”

 

“Yes, I know all about your relationship with Ms.Cuttler-”

 

“Queen.” Amanda raised a brow,

 

“Mrs.Queen.” Amanda corrected, “And that is why I have an incentive.”

 

“There is nothing you could offer-”

 

“If you complete this mission successfully, I will let both you and your wife go.”

 

Oliver froze,

 

“Just like that?”

 

“Well, you would have exhausted your value in this organization. And once Mrs.Queen completes her own assignment, she can leave too. ” Oliver narrowed his eyes,

 

“And what exactly _is_ Felicity’s assignment?” Amanda leaned back in her chair, and gave a little smirk, knowing that he had already agreed. The temptation of a normal life, a normal life with Felicity at his side, a chance to maybe go home, to be able to correct his father's wrongs was all too much.

 

“That, Mr.Queen, is a need to know.”

 

Oliver agrees anyway.

 

Oliver should've known not to trust Amanda Waller. His year in Russia is a completely new kind of hell, with sporadic amounts of contact with his wife at best. He can tell from the strain in her voice how worried she is for him, and he wishes he could tell her he's fine, but he's promised Felicity that he will never lie to her, so instead he just tells her how much he loves her, and hopes it will be enough until he can see her again.

 

A year undercover in the Bratva results in him becoming fluent in a new language, becoming Captain, and adding countless number of scars to his already scarred body. His buzzed hair is longer again, and he can drink vodka like it's water. When Felicity sees him again after 369 days, she hugs him so hard, Oliver thinks he might just soak her tears inside him. But it doesn't matter because he's holding her just as hard, grip firm enough to bruise, because she's even more beautiful than she was when he left, and he's missed her something fierce, and all he can think about is how he doesn't ever want to leave her again-

 

Which of course means he will have to leave her again.

 

And that is why he's drinking her in now. Felicity is still working on finishing her assignment, but Oliver's been given a deadline of 24 hours before he's supposed to board a plane to Lian Yu, where a Chinese fishing boat will be waiting for him. After which he will go to Hong Kong, contact his family, and go back home to Starling.

 

Only, he knows Starling won't feel like half the home the woman beside him feels like.

 

Felicity wakes up with a soft noise at the back of her throat, and Oliver snuggles deeper into her when she stretches awake,

 

“Hey there, stranger.” Her husky voice greets, and he smiles at her squinted eyes, reaching over to her bedside to grab her glasses for her,

 

“Good morning, hun.” His melancholy tone of voice is more effective in waking her up than her regular cup of Java. She frowns at him, and her fingers come closer to scratch lightly at his scruff, and Oliver almost purrs,

 

“Hey, what's with mopey face? You're going home today. That's a good thing.”

 

“I don't want to go anywhere without you.” He tells her, and he can see her melt at his words, an almost wordless ‘aww’ leaving her lips before she rolls over on top of him,

 

“It won't be for long. Just a couple of months and I'll join you.”

 

“And then we'll start a new life.”

 

“That's right. We'll buy our own place, and we'll paint the walls really bright, and have ridiculous amounts of throw pillows on our gigantic king sized bed-”

 

“-and we'll also have a proper wedding ceremony.” Oliver continues for her, and Felicity _hmms,_

 

“Maybe something outdoors. Or on the roof. A small ceremony with a few of our friends and family,”

 

“And no catering.” They grin at eachother, and after a moment, Felicity's smile dims slightly as she traces her fingers along Oliver's hairline,

 

“You will also want to right your father's wrongs, I know that. And I'm not going to ask you to not do it. But,” Oliver takes a breath, dreading what she'll ask of him because he knows he will do whatever she asks him to, “Don't lose your soul. Nothing your father did is worth the peace that you've found in these past years.” Felicity's eyes soften until they're almost luminescent, “Don't lose sight of that light. Not even for your dad.”

 

“Okay.” he replies just as softly, and Felicity grins before burying her face in his neck again.

 

Oliver is sure the both of them would've shed a few tears at the air strip during their farewell if it isn't for the fact that Amanda Waller is impatiently tapping her shoes 3 feet away from them. As it is, they hug each other tight, and Oliver places soft kisses on Felicity's face in between promises to ‘ _see you again real soon_ ’ and ‘ _you'll be with me before you know it_ ’. Felicity doesn't cry either, but from the brightness of her eyes, Oliver can tell it's a near thing. Instead, she takes off one of her necklaces, removes his wedding band from his finger and places it on the chain before clasping it around his neck,

 

“If you have an affair, I'll know about it.” She mock-growls, trying to lighten the mood, and Oliver goes with it,

 

“Yeah, there's not a single woman in the world that's worth facing your loud-voice.” Oliver tells her, and mock shudders, laughing at her protest. He's about to lean in for the millionth kiss when a clearing of a throat interrupts them,

 

“It's time to go, Mr.Queen.”

 

Oliver lets out another sigh, kisses Felicity one last time, and turns over to climb the plane before he decides to do something stupid and stay. He and Felicity, they have a real chance at a better life. And if a few months separation can guarantee them a life of peace, Oliver's willing to make that sacrifice.

 

The trip back to Hong Kong, even though not quite a blur, is mundane enough that Oliver doesn’t bother remembering any details. It’s on the airport that one of the ARGUS Agents gives him all the necessary papers that state that he’s been in a medically induced coma for the past three months in Hong Kong. It’s the only explanation as to why he would be in his peak physical condition if he was supposed to be on an inhabitable deserted island for the last five years. The next stretch of his travel, from Hong Kong all the way to Starling is filled with equal amounts of dread at the idea of facing his family, excitement at the prospect of reconnecting with a few of the people he’s lost over the years, a grim sort of determination at wanting to do what’s right for his city, all of which is covered in a shadow of the longing he feels at the absence of his wife at his side. For the past two years, the only time Oliver and Felicity have been away from each other had been a couple of days at a time for missions, and even then, the adrenaline and his survival instincts made the time spent away from her move a lot faster than it would’ve normally. Now, there isn’t much that can distract him from thinking about her, at least not until he reaches Starling City.

 

He reaches Starling City unexpectedly quietly. He doesn’t have a lot of possessions, a green trunk that he’s been carrying around with him for the past 3 years, a wallet with petty cash and a picture of Felicity in her impromptu wedding dress, a smart phone he shouldn’t technically know how to use, but is also filled with pictures of his wife and the life they’ve built together, his wedding ring carefully placed around a silver chain which superstitiously hangs underneath his henley and the clothes on his body. His story is that one of the chinese fishing boats found him unconscious on the shore of the island, and brought him back to Hong Kong, where they kept him for months in a rather shady hospital, trying their best to nurse him back to health. When they finally gave him a clean bill of health, his first action had been to call his family at the Queen Mansion to let them know he was alive.

 

Moira had cried for twenty minutes on the phone before Oliver convinced her to hang up so that he could actually show up and they could continue celebrating his general state of living when they could actually see each other. In the end, after five long years, Oliver sees his mother at the airport. The Queen Private jet has just landed, and Moira is waiting just outside the limo at the hanger, everything about her being perfectly pressed and coiffed, except her hands are shaking, and her eyes are watery.

 

She loses the battle against her tears when she sees her son climb out of the plane. He looks so much different from when he left, bigger in every sense of the word, his hair cropped short and jaw covered in stubble. Moira didn’t know who she was expecting, mabe a part of her thought that Oliver would look exactly the same as the day she had last seen him, Frat boy shorts and floppy hair and all, or maybe she would have to face some stranger who wore the hollowed out face of her eldest child, someone malnourished and sleep-deprived. The Oliver that greets her is somewhere in the middle, he’s certainly not the same boy who had left 5 years ago, but he’s still beautiful, still recognizable, his eyes are clear, his face fresh, he might as well have been vacationing in hawaii for how relaxed he looks,

 

Moira supposes the doctors in Hong Kong took really good care of her son. She’s grateful. And also slightly resentful because they’ve had him for the last three months, but no body thought of even contacting her,

 

But then Oliver is in front of her, and Moira is throwing her arms around her son, and it’s nothing like how it used to be before. Oliver’s shoulders are bulkier, harder, his grip on her is both tentative and desperate at the same time-- It’s new. But, Moira thinks that she can get used to this too.

 

“Oh, my beautiful boy.” She breaths, because that part hasn’t changed. He is still hers. Her boy. Her son. Her reason to fight and hers to protect.

 

And she will. She will protect him even if it’s the last thing she does.

 

Oliver supposes he should feel a myriad of emotions at seeing his Family Manor, but all he can feel is the almost childlike excitement at the prospect of seeing his little sister again. The doors open almost as if by themselves, and the Old Oliver wouldn’t have thought anything about it, but the man Oliver is now is cautious, his eyes travel and take in his surroundings, making a mental headcount of all the servants, he sees a barely familiar man making his way towards him, and Oliver tenses slightly when he smiles,

 

“Oliver, It’s damn good to see you.” Oliver remains quiet, he can’t for the life of him put a name to that face,

 

“Oliver, you remember Walter Steele? He was a friend of your father’s from the company.” Moira sounds slightly nervous, and Oliver thinks that maybe he should pay a little more attention to this Walter, but that’s when he sees Raisa standing at the corner, and almost involuntarily, he finds his lips curving into something that resembles a smile,

 

“It’s good to see you, Raisa.” Raisa’s smile, the tears in the corner of her eyes, they’re all maternal, and it warms Oliver’s heart,

 

“Welcome home, Mister Oliver.” She then turns to look at Moira behind him and continues, “Mr.Merlyn phoned, he wants to join you for dinner.”

 

Oliver knows his mother is saying something to him, but that’s when he hears a door open and close and most of his attention is on the grand staircase, and he feels himself lighting up as he sees Thea rushing towards him,

 

“Hey, sis.”

 

She’s older now, beautiful and bigger, but her child-like excitement at seeing him hasn’t changed, and neither has her grip as she throws herself at him. If he concentrates hard enough, under all that perfume, and hair product, he can still smell the familiar scent of his baby sister, and the similarities that play in his head make him huff out a laugh,

 

“Ollie!” She breaths, and the old nickname sends another pang through him. “I knew it. I knew you were alive.” He doesn’t know how to respond to that, doesn’t want to think what she’ll say if she ever found out that he’d made a life for himself all the way across the ocean instead of fighting tooth and nail just to come back,

 

But then again, other than Thea and his mother, there wasn’t much reason to come back. And back home, he had Felicity, and the opportunity to be a better man, a fresh slate if he ever saw one. And yes, he may not be as innocent as he was before the gambit, but he likes to think that with Felicity’s help, and the sometimes slightly dubious good work they’ve done for ARGUS, both of them have become the best versions of themselves they could’ve been under those circumstances.

 

So he pulls away from Thea and smiles at her instead, taking in everything that is new or different about her. Last time he saw her, she was 12, about to turn thirteen, now she’s eighteen. His little sister is not so little anymore.

 

“I missed you so much.” She says, her voice trembling slightly,

 

“You were with me the whole time.” He tells her, and it’s true that she was. He can’t remember the number of times he told Felicity about Thea, the number of times the thought of her kept him going on that island, she had been the best part of his day before he was stranded, because everything with Thea had always been so easy. And from the look in her eyes, he can tell that she’s still his Speedy, he can tell from the borderline hero-worship that’s shining on her face for him, that she’s still the same girl that used to follow him around everywhere.

 

Oliver excuses himself after some reconnecting to ‘freshen up’. It’s been a lot more overwhelming that he thought it would be, and he needs some space to breath between his mother’s constant concern for his mental stability and his sister’s constant curiosity over his time away. Oliver freezes when he enters his room; just like his mother said, nothing’s changed. He can almost see himself laying on the bed, with Laurel studying beside him, or some other girl when Laurel was too busy to hang out, it makes the guilt come rushing back, and Oliver finds that he can’t look too long at any of his previous belongings without at least feeling some degree of strangeness. He’s not the boy anymore, the one who left all his problems behind and instead took the sister of his then girlfriend on a sex vacation.

 

Instead, he’s a man who loves his wife more than life itself. He’s a man who is devoted to her, who has her heart with him just like she has his. He’s a better version of himself, not because of the island, or because of Argus, but because of Felicity. The thought brings a pang in his heart, and before he can contemplate the repercussions for too long, he’s already taken his phone out and is dialing her number,

 

“Oliver?” He closes his eyes as her lovely voice echoes through. It’s been a little over 24 hours since they’ve spoken to each other, and while it’s not the first time that’s happened (being an undercover Mafia captain doesn’t leave much time for calls to secret loved ones) but it doesn’t get any easier,

 

“Felicity.” His voice comes of weaker than planned, huskier but trembling,

 

“Hey honey, you alright?” He clears his throat against her concern,

 

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.” He smiles slightly against her unconvincing ‘hmm’ and continues softly, “It’s just, a bit harder that I’d thought it’d be.”

 

“What is?” Felicity asked just as softly, and if he closed his eyes, he could almost see her eyes soften at his admission, she always did that, made herself softer somehow whenever he was feeling particularly vulnerable. He especially loved how she fit against him in moments like those, how they molded against each other, and absentmindedly, he took out his wallet, taking out the picture of her he’s kept there from the day they got married. It had been an unconventional affair, a quick ceremony that barely lasted half an hour, but Felicity had managed to get herself a white dress that he’d almost choked on his tongue upon seeing, and their vows had been honest and heartfelt. He took the picture later in the night, when they had stopped on the hallway on the way to their hotel room as Felicity rambled on and on about changing her last name. He had wanted to preserve the memory forever, the time in his life when he was at his happiest, and he done just that, snapped a picture while she talked, and printed it out as soon as he could.

 

It had been with him throughout Russia, and he was sure, it would be his guiding light here in Starling City till she came back to him.

 

 

“I miss you. And being back has been a lot more… exhausting than I thought it’d be.”

 

“Aw honey, I’m right here. You can call me anytime. And well, of course meeting your family after five years is exhausting. You just have to think about all the things you’re looking forward to.”

 

“Well, I’m looking forward reconnecting with Thea.” He started hesitantly,

 

“There you go, big guy.” Oliver chuckled,

 

“And Tommy is coming over for dinner.”

 

“Oo, the infamous Tommy Merlyn. That is going to be fun.” Oliver smiled at his feet as he thought about his friend,

 

“I can’t wait for the two of you to meet. You’d get along so well.” He could hear the smile in her voice when she hmmed,

 

“Someday, honey.”

 

“Yeah. Someday. Soon, though.”

 

“Soon.” She concurred, and then they were both silent as they soaked in each other’s virtual presence, and then Oliver continued,

 

“There are also some things I’m really not looking forward to.”

“Yeah? Like what?”

 

“Like letting my mother know that I know she’s in some kind of a sexual relationship with my dead father’s friend.”

 

“Oo, maybe not really word it like that?”

 

Oliver hmmed unconvincingly, “Also, I’m really not looking forward to apologising to Laurel.”

 

“Well, I’m guessing that’s going to be the toughest part of this all.” Felicity paused, “I know we’ve talked about this, but I would just like to remind you that there is a good chance Laurel won’t immediately forgive you for what happened.”

 

“Yeah, I know.”

 

“I would also like to remind you that the only thing you did wrong in this whole scenario was cheat on your girlfriend. Sara was her own person, an extremely strong one from what you’ve told me about her, and her actions were her own. You both were your own people.”

 

Oliver doesn’t say anything for a few moments, and then sighs, feeling himself lighten against her salvation and grow burdened from the past memories at the same time. “Okay.”

 

“Okay.” She agreed.

 

“I really wasn’t a very good boyfriend before.”

 

“Well, lucky for you, you’re the best husband in the whole wide world.” Felicity chirped on the other end and Oliver huffed a chuckle,

 

“Uh-huh, and you would know how? Had a lot of husbands?”

 

“Oh, tonnes.” Oliver laughed at her mock-serious voice, and Felicity returned it with a giggle of her own. He heard beeping on the other end and then Felicity was speaking again,

 

“Alright love, I need to go now. Project deadline and all.” She said, “But, call me whenever you need me, also when you don’t need me. I’m here, and I love you.”

 

Oliver sighed, calmer than before the phone call, “I love you too.”

 

He could hear her blow him three loud kisses before she ended the call, and Oliver smiled at the home screen of his phone before shutting it off. It was another picture of her, of course. Oliver has always been slightly obsessed with taking pictures of Felicity, she was always smiling, always pretty, and never camera shy. His wallpaper was from the day after they had officially moved into an apartment of their own, there had been no furniture except a mattress and a TV, and the walls were an unpainted white which they weren’t allowed to repaint because it had been on rent. But, the morning after their first night spent in their home had been memorable, with Felicity just in her underwear and his shirt, looking angelic against the natural light and white walls, so of course he had to take a picture,

 

He’s looking forward to more moments like those. Quiet, domestic moments filled with ringing laughter and padding of bare feet across hardwood floors mixed in with smell of coffee and fabric softener.

 

He’s looking forward to building a real life with Felicity Queen. And nothing and no one is going to get in between that.


	2. Will You Call Me (To Tell Me You're Alright?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say, THIS THING HAS FUCKING BLOWN UP. I never expected this kind of a response. Thank you for all the support and encouraging words and downright fangirling.
> 
> And thankyou for joining me on the TOMMY MERLYN DESERVED BETTER train. This is going to be one hell of a ride.
> 
> also, @Shan1977non and @CaptainSammyAngel,
> 
> If you haven't already figured out, unless there is a change in my scheuling, or during finals, the fic will hopefully be updated on every Monday. 
> 
> Happy Reading!

The phone call he made to Felicity gives him the extra boost he needs to face his family. He showers and changes into a jumper sweater and jeans and then quickly makes his way downstairs, the mansion isn’t as comfortable as it used to be, but it is still to a point, familiar, and Oliver’s just staring at all the family pictures at the foyer when he hears the main door open, and Tommy Merlyn’s booming voice proclaiming,

 

“Told you, yachts suck.” He turns around, a smile already in place that grows fonder when he looks at his best friend,

 

“Tommy Merlyn.” Oliver feels warm as they hug, having missed his best friend terribly these past years. Sure, Oliver had some other friends back while he was working with Argus, but none of them had even come close to his childhood partner-in-crime. The dinner that night is quiet, with Tommy trying to fill the silence with pointless chatter, and Thea asking borderline uncomfortable questions,

 

“So, what was it like there? On the island?”

 

It’s been years since Oliver had set foot on that island, but he still remembers how frozen everything was there, bleak and painful, as if it was detached from the rest of the world,

 

“Cold.” He tells his sister, and the silence becomes a little more oppressive.

 

“Tomorrow,” Tommy starts, breaking the silence again, “You and me, we’re doing the city. We have a lot to catch up on.”

 

“That sounds like a great idea.” Moira agrees, and the brittle smile stretched on Oliver’s lips becomes slightly more uncomfortable with his next words,

 

“Good, Then I was hoping to swing by the office.” Just as he suspected, Walter freezes, wine glass inches from his mouth,

 

“Well, there is plenty time for all that.” He says, and places the glass back, “Queen consolidated isn’t going anywhere.” He gives Oliver a smile, and Oliver returns it half-heartedly.

 

Oliver is just thinking about ways he could ask his mother how long her and Walter have been together, but that’s when Raisa trips, almost falling into Oliver, but he stops it just in time,

 

“I’m so sorry, Mister Oliver.”

 

“eto ne bespokoystvo” He replies on instinct, and feels the curiosity heighten in the room, Raisa stares at him, stunned, and Tommy looks up from his plate,

 

“Dude, I didn’t know you spoke Russian.”

 

“I didn’t realise you took Russian in college, Oliver?” Walter says, and the opportunity is almost too good to not take,

 

“I didn’t realize you wanted to sleep with my mother, Walter.”

 

If Felicity was here, she would be choking on her wine right about now, and pinching his thigh in reprimand. The thought makes Oliver’s lip curve further as Moira and Walter look at him uncomprehendingly,

 

Moira glances at Thea for a moment, who huffs before leaning back in her chair,

 

“I didn’t say anything.”

 

“She didn’t have to.” Oliver agrees. Another moment passes by before Moira and Walter join their hands,

 

“Oliver, Walter and I are married.” Moira says, and well, that wasn’t exactly what Oliver had thought. He had pegged it as a secretive office romance at it’s best, hadn’t known they had made it official, “And I don’t want you to think that either one of us did anything to disrespect your father.”

 

“We both believed that Robert, like you was… well, gone.”

 

“It’s fine.” Oliver says rather abruptly. He stands up, this new revelation being a bit more harder than he thought it would be. A lot has changed in these past years, and he was prepared to face a lot of those changes, but a new family member wasn’t one of them. “May I be excused?”

 

Moira nods silently, and Oliver gets up and moves out of that room with a wink at his sister and a pat to Tommy’s back. He thinks about maybe calling Felicity again when he gets back to his room, but he does need to let her do her job if he wants her back as soon as possible. So instead he gets ready for bed early. There’s a storm brewing, he can tell, and without his wife by his side, it’s already going to be harder for him to sleep, the rain won’t help those circumstances. The bed feels too big, too cold, and his arms feel empty, but he shuts his eyes tight, and rolls the ring dangling from his neck around his fingers until the metal is warm from the friction. He doesn’t know when exactly he falls asleep, but he knows he’d been awake for hours before he did, and he wakes up almost just as exhausted, if not more. But, It’s a new day, and today he’s going to start working on his mission.

 

But first,

 

When he knocks on his little sister’s door, she’s already dressed and ready for school, which is something that couldn’t be said about him at her age. He smiles tightly at her friend, who looks him up and down as if she isn’t just blatantly checking him out as she leaves, and waits for the door to shut close before he walks closer to Thea,

 

“Hey, I got you something.” Thea smiles at him, wide and stretches her hand out even as she says,

 

“You did not get stuck on a deserted island and bring me back a souvenir.”

 

He places the almost-arrow shaped stone in her hand, something he found on the island and had dreamed of giving it to Thea ever since he found out what the inscription meant,

 

“A rock?” Thea asks, sounding dubious, but it just makes Oliver huff a chuckle because that was also Felicity’s first reaction when he showed her it,

 

“It’s a hozen. In buddhism, it represents reconnecting. I kept it, in hopes that one day, it would reconnect me with you.” Thea takes it with a trembling smile, and before either of them can say anything more, Tommy’s voice sounds from behind them,

 

“A rock?! That is… sweet.” He walks over to them as he says, “You know, I want one of those t-shirts that says ‘My friend was a cast-away and all I got was a crappy shirt.”

 

Oliver smiles wide in response,

 

“Sure. I’ll see what I can do.” He replies and Thea rolls her eyes at the both of them,

 

“Don’t let him get you into too much trouble. You just got back. Take it easy.” She says as she hugs him, and he places a kiss to her cheek with an ‘of course’.

 

“You notice how hot your sister’s gotten?” Tommy asks as they walk out the hallway, and Oliver turns to glare at him, making Tommy continue with a “because I have not.”

 

The drive through the city is filled with reminiscing, and Oliver keeps an eye out for his father’s abandoned steel factory even as he makes conversation with Tommy. The talk reminds him of the man he was before. And how all he ever cared about was either booze, or women, or some crazy combination of both. Felicity wouldn’t have looked twice at the man he was then.

 

“So, what did you miss the most? Steaks at the palms? Drinks at the Station? Meaningless Sex?”

 

“Hmm… You, Thea, Mum. I missed you guys.” Oliver turns to look at Tommy with a smile, but he has an odd look in his eyes,

 

“What?” Oliver asks, and Tommy shakes his head,

 

“Nothing. It’s just, I was sure Laurel would be on that list.” Oliver sighs,

 

“Tommy, I cheated on her with her sister. Trust me, We were over even before I got stranded.” Oliver frowns, “Which reminds me, we should go to the CNRI. I do need to apologize to her.”

 

Tommy shakes his head, “Dude, everybody is happy you’re home. You want to see the one person who isn’t?”

 

“She deserves an apology, Tommy. It’s the least I can do.” Tommy hesitates,

 

“Are you sure you’re not doing this in a last ditch attempt to get back together?”

 

Oliver scoffs, maybe if he hadn’t met Felicity, he would still be obsessed with the idea of Laurel. He knows how heavy the guilt felt on his shoulders before getting together with his wife, and he supposes earning Laurel’s forgiveness and making her fall in love with him again would’ve seemed like the easiest way to forgive himself; by making her forgive him.

 

But, he’s not as wrecked by guilt as he used to be. He’s in a healthy, committed relationship, and he hasn’t actively thought about Laurel since his second year on the island. But, Tommy doesn’t know any of that, so instead, his eyes widen in surprise at Oliver’s response,

 

“Trust me, Tommy. I have no intention of getting back together with Laurel.” Oliver shrugs, “We weren’t good for eachother.”

 

“Well then, if you want to apologize, maybe doing it on her turf isn’t really a good idea.” Tommy says slowly, “Maybe you could do it at the welcome home party I’m throwing you.”

 

“What party?” Oliver asks, already exasperated,

 

“Oh come on, Ollie. You just came back from the dead! This calls for a party.” Oliver rolls his eyes,

 

“Sure, whatever you want, Tommy.”

 

“So, we’re not going to CNRI. Where are we going then?” Tommy asked, Oliver thought for a moment, and then smiled,

 

“You know what else I missed on the island?” Tommy looked at him suspiciously,

 

“You want to got to a strip club? It’s 11 in the morning.” Oliver laughed,

 

“No, I was thinking more along the lines of greasy diner food.” Tommy nodded, grinning.

 

“Diner food. I can swing that.”

 

They had only just parked their car at the ‘Roxy’s House’, an establishment that Moira Queen would never have approved of, but where Oliver and Tommy sneaked off to multiple times in their high school days. It had been a secret between them, something not even Laurel had been aware of in the years they had dated, and both Oliver and Tommy had liked it better that way. But, no sooner had they gotten out in the sparsely filled parking lot, that Oliver saw, with wide eyes, as Tommy fell, a tranq dart sticking out from his neck, and before he himself could fully turn around, he felt the sting of another dart at the base of his neck, he didn’t even feel himself hit the ground before the world turned black--

 

\--Oliver came to consciousness screaming, the electric shock running through his chest making him bite his tongue hard enough to make it bleed, it hurt like a bitch, but the taser also meant that the kidnappers weren’t looking to do permanent damage.

 

“Mr. Queen,” The guy in the mask drawled, “Awake at last, I see. Sorry about the taser, but you see, I was getting slightly impatient.”

 

Oliver glared at him, saying nothing. These men had been stupid enough to kidnap two of the richest men in Starling City in broad daylight in front of a well-known diner during rush hour. There was no way no one had reported the incident to the police.

 

Which meant Oliver just had to endure this stupidity until the SCPD traced their whereabouts and ‘rescued’ them.

 

“Now, Mr.Queen, I do have a few questions for you.” The Kidnapper spoke, his voice high with amusement, “I need to know, Did your father make it to the island?”

 

Not to mention, Oliver thought, completely ignoring the other man in the mask, The news must have hit the stations by now. Both Tommy Merlyn and Oliver Queen kidnapped together? That made one heck of a national breaking news, which meant, Felicity must’ve found out already, which also meant, the SCPD’s job had just gotten a hundred times easier. All they had to do was follow the proverbial breadcrumbs to this location, and Oliver would be out of here in no time.

 

All of which came down to one factor, How long had he been unconscious for?

 

Another tase brought him out of his thoughts, this time with a controlled growl instead of an all out scream. He had promised Felicity that there would be no unnecessary bloodshed. That he would not revert back to the man he was before he met her. And if the price for keeping that promise were a few well-placed lies and taser shocks, there was no choice.

 

“Did you not hear me, Mr.Queen? Did your father survive the storm? Did he tell you anything?”

 

“No.” Oliver wheezed, flexing and unflexing his hands behind him, his eyes straying over to where Tommy was laying, still unconscious, “No. He died…” Oliver swallowed, “He drowned. We never… he never said anything.”

 

The kidnappers looked at each other for a moment, and Oliver wondered if this was the sole purpose of this entire charade. Did they expect him to tell the truth? Though, the Ollie they are familiar with would’ve just cried and told them everything they wanted to know just at the threat of a taser shock, no actual torture would’ve been necessary.

 

“Look, I don’t know anything about my father’s business.” Oliver pled, continuing to lie like a professional, “If it is money you want-”

 

Just then, the doors to the warehouse burst open, and in came the SWAT team, with Detective Lance leading the team. In minutes, the kidnappers were surrounded, disarmed and handcuffed, and Oliver had two different paramedics fussing over him, a couple others surrounding a dizzy but conscious Tommy.

 

Oliver sighed, closed his eyes as he felt his hands being freed. He hadn’t known how long he would’ve been able to play the innocent victim card. All he had wanted to do was beat the crap out of all of them for putting Tommy in that position. But, it was fine now. He could go home, reassure his family, including his wife, who was no doubt, out of her mind with worry, and then continue with the mission he had vowed his father to fulfill.

 

 

“So, that’s what you’re going with? Three armed kidnappers took you and Tommy Merlyn in broad daylight, one day after you came home, and wanted to ask you about your father’s business?” Quinten asked, eyes narrowing further when Oliver shrugged almost nonchalantly.

 

“What can I say, detective? I am just as confused as you are.”

 

“Oh no, that is not the part I’m confused about.”Quentin straightened, “You were the last person to talk with your father. Their motive is clear.”

 

Moira glared at the police detective, “Then what is it that has you so confused, Detective? Because I have to say, I don’t like this bordering on interrogative tone that you’ve been using against my son since you sat down.”

 

“What I am confused about is the person who told us where to find you.” Walter straightened up at that,

 

“What do you mean? Someone gave you a tip?” Quentin scoffed at that,

 

“Oh it was much more than a tip. Someone hacked into the SCPD network, gave us the exact location of the kidnapper’s base, then hacked our communication system, and told us exactly how many kidnappers were involved and exactly what they were carrying.” Oliver felt his lip twitch upwards at those words. That was his wife. Badass even when she was probably panicking. God, how how missed her, how he just wanted to go back to his room, call her, and ease all his fears and worries, but before he could excuse himself, the detective continued, “So tell me, Oliver , why would some hacker care about you? You, who haven’t even been a part of the living world for 24 hours yet?” Quinten’s voice was snide, but he couldn’t help it as he said, “Aren’t you lucky?”

 

“Did you get an ID on those people?” Moira interrupted before the atmosphere in the parlor could get even more hostile,

 

“These were just regular thugs, with untraceable weapons. We’re assuming that they were hired off the street by someone. They’re being interrogated as we speak. This was done by someone professional.” Detective Hilton spoke up for the first time,

 

“Yeah…” Quinten mused, mockingly, “They probably figured you’d pay a king’s ransom to get your boy back. Or a Queen’s ransom as it were.”

 

Moira narrowed her eyes, “I don’t find your tone very appropriate, detective.”

 

“If Oliver can think of anything else,” Walter started diplomatically, standing up, “He’ll be in touch. Thank you gentlemen, for coming.” He said dismissively,

 

Quentin scoffed, but stood up as well, and Oliver followed eagerly, waiting for this to be over so that he could get some privacy,

 

“Your luck never seems to run out, does it?” Quentin asked rhetorically, unable to resist that one last jibe, but even that was unsatisfactory against Oliver’s stony silence.

 

Oliver ignored Tommy’s gaze as he walked out of the room, pretended he didn't see Moira’s hand reach out for him, and climbed up the stairs to his room. He didn't see Tommy thoughtfully observing his retreating back, didn't know that whilst he was upstairs, dialing his wife before the door even closes behind him, his family was discussing how weird it was for him to spend so much of his time in his room,

 

And because Oliver’s too busy talking to Felicity, reassuring her that he’s fine, he didn’t see the resolution on Tommy’s face as the other man decided to follow his best friend upstairs. After all, a trauma like the two of them have shared today needed to be discussed. But, when he did reach Oliver’s door, on the verge or either knocking or barging in, he hadn’t decided yet, he could hear soft strains of conversation on the other side. Which didn’t make any sense, because Thea’s in school, and he just left Moira and Walter downstairs with Raisa, and as far as he knew, Oliver hasn’t had the chance to interact with anyone else. Quietly, he plastered his ear to the door, knowing it was an invasion of privacy, but too curious at the moment to care,

 

“No honey, like I said, I’m fine. Just tased a few times. It’s no big deal.” Tommy’s brow reached his hairline. There were so many parts of that sentence that made no sense to Tommy, but for the moment, Tommy focused on the ‘honey’ bit. He wondered for a second if maybe Oliver’s talking to Laurel, if maybe they’ve made up already, but then, Laurel at least would’ve told him, seeing as they were sleeping with each other on a semi-regular basis even if Oliver had lied. And Oliver didn’t know about Tommy and Laurel, so there was no reason for him to lie.

 

Not to mention, in all the years Oliver and Laurel had dated on and off, Tommy hadn’t ever heard Oliver call Laurel with anything other than her name, except maybe a drunken ‘babe’ from time to time. Before he could drive himself crazy, Tommy heard Oliver speak again,

 

“ ‘licity, I know they had guns. I was there.” Silence, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sass. I’ve just had a really long day.” Another silence, “I know it wasn’t easy for you either. Thank you for rescuing me as usual.” And yet another excruciating silence, “Already? Hun, you sure you aren’t working yourself too hard?... Okay. Okay, I’ll talk to you later, then?... Yeah, I love you too.”

 

Tommy pulled away when he heard Oliver say good-bye. When, in the 24 hours did Oliver had time to meet a chick? The answer is, that he didn’t. So that real question was, How the hell did Ollie manage to fall in love on a deserted island? Tommy shook his head, he needed answers. But he was sure if he barged in there right now and demanded an explanation without any proof, Oliver would just make up an excuse and dismiss it. No. Tommy needed to collect evidence before he said anything.

 

And evidence is what Tommy will get.

 

For now, he walked back downstairs and bid the rest of the Queen family goodbye before making his way home, his mind travelling to that trip he had taken to Hong Kong, thinking he had gotten an email from his best friend, but what had turned out to be an elaborate ruse-- or was it? Even he had to admit that Oliver was much more mature now. Mature, but not exactly isolated. Not really what he had expected when he had imagined his best friend coming home after 5 years on an island in the middle of nowhere.

 

Not to mention, that girl Oliver was talking to? Something -city? She was apparently the hacker that had rescued them from that kidnapping, so there was no way they had met on that island. And Oliver couldn’t have fallen in love with her while he was in a coma in China, and he certainly hadn’t known her before the gambit, because Tommy would’ve known her too,

 

So really, the question was, How much of what they knew about Oliver’s time away was the truth?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dun duN DUN!!!
> 
> Does the 'Tommy finds out' tag make sense now?
> 
> Also, I know I said no merlance (ew) and I meant it. It won't be end game. Because TOMMY FUCKING MERLYN DESERVES BETTER than a woman who's perpetually half in love with someone else.
> 
> (Seriously, Laurel. Learn to choose.)
> 
> Also, If you haven't realised it yet, the chapter names are song lyrics. Part of the Playlist I listen to while I right. This chapter name was from the song 'Safe Inside' by Arthur James.
> 
> And I know, I'm still vaguely following the story line. But, It won't be for much longer. But, you'll still notice that most, if not all the interactions are different from what they were in the show. Oliver is more emotionally stable, more openly loving, and way way less obsessed with Laurel. (Seriously, season 1 was so cringe because of the LL-obsession fever. Thank god for Felicity.)
> 
> Thank you for reading. And Feedback is ALWAYS appreciated.


	3. I Already Told You (I Think That You Should Get Some Rest)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say, I'm always surprised how amazing your feedback is with every chapter. Thank you for all the wonderful comments. I hope you guys stick around till the end. Also, The chapter name is from the song 'Say You Won't Let Go' by again, Arthur James. Honestly, that guy's like Ed Sheeran 2.0. I love him.
> 
> Also, @Newsies73 asked if there will be a love triangle between Tommy, Oliver and Felicity.
> 
> I usually don't answer questions that are related to the plot of the story, because really, what is the point of reading if I just spoil it all over here? So, instead of directly answering you, (if you are reading this) I would just say that 1. Felicity and Oliver are happily married ^*^ and 2. Now that Oliver isn't sleeping with like half the female population of Starling City like he did in season 1, there are gonna be a bunch of eligible women for Tommy to fall in love with. 
> 
> I personally haven't really decided who I'm going to pair Tommy with. 
> 
> He Deserves A Shot (At Being Happy) by ChronicOlicity had Tommy paired with McKenna, and I loved reading their relationship in that fic. And I'm hoping that this fic's Tommy pairing is just as interesting if not more.
> 
> What do you guys think? Who should Tommy end up with? Please don't comment Laurel. You'll break my heart.

Oliver hadn’t known who his first target would’ve been till that morning. The Starling City Gazette made it too easy though. There, right on the first page was the article, 

 

‘ADAM HUNT CLEARED BY D.A OF WRONGDOING; CITES LACK OF EVIDENCE’

 

Adam Hunt.

 

He was on the list.

 

Oliver had planned on asking Felicity for more information on the man, but hearing how exhausted she had sounded on the phone at the prospect of going back to work, there was no chance in hell Oliver was going to add to it. He knew how much she was working to come back to him as soon as possible, so instead, he booted up the dusty Desktop at his old desk, reading through everything he could find out about the man. Beside him, on the desk was an old photo of him and Laurel smiling at the camera, his brow scrunched when he remembered that day; he had been high on something. And it clearly showed in the photo. While the sites loaded on the computer, Oliver sighed and tossed the old picture in his junk drawer. He didn’t want to see it, the reminder of how irresponsible he used to be, how inconsiderate. But, he also didn’t want to answer the questions that would rise if Raisa, or god forbid, Thea found it in the trash. After all, throwing away one of the very few couple pictures of him and Laurel seemed too much like a ‘woman-scorned’ thing to do.

 

He had just begun reading about Adam Hunt’s court hearings when he heard footsteps approaching,

 

“You are different.” Oliver raised his head to see Raisa smiling at him, “Not like you to read a book.” She said as she placed his lunch on his desk. Inconspicuously, Oliver shut his computer off, grinning at her familiar teasing,

 

“I missed you Raisa.” Raisa raised a teasing eyebrow,

 

“No kitchen on the island?” She asked and Oliver chuckled outright, remembering with a pleasant warm buzz at the base of his stomach his first time trying to cook, 

 

_ It had been around two weeks since Oliver had first asked Felicity out for dinner, and for their third date, he had wanted to do something normal (considering their first date had been a dinner date-cum-scouting mission where they had to multitask between getting to know each other and tailing one of the most corrupt politicians on the east coast. And their second date had been a gala where they spent an hour dancing in each others arms, and then the next three hours after that, interrogating the rich socialite who was rumoured to be contributing to the large human trafficking ring in Zimbabwe). Both those dates had been amazing, and Oliver loved every moment he spent with Felicity, no matter where they were, but he also knew that Felicity deserved something better more than just their ARGUS lives. She deserved a bit of normal. So, Oliver had decided that their third date was going to be the most domestically mundane date in the history of dates. He was going to invite Felicity over to his ARGUS assigned quarters, and cook for her whilst she filled his apartment with her bright chatter. _

_ Normal. _

_ Nevermind that he hadn’t cooked a day in his life, but he had been researching for the past three days, and well, he was an infamous assassin and interrogator, how hard could Pasta Carbonara really be? _

 

_ The answer to that question, Oliver learned, was very hard. _

 

_ Oliver had not factored in how detrimental Felicity would be to his relatively new cooking skills. She had knocked on his door at exactly 7, wearing this stunning red and gold dress that made Oliver stop breathing for a second. Felicity’s smile had been wide, and she had a bottle of red wine in her hands, the other reaching over to grab his shoulder so that she could hoist herself up and plant a kiss at the corner of his mouth. _

  
  


_ Oliver had died then. It was the only explanation for why he was suddenly hearing angels singing. _

 

_ Felicity had giggled at his stunned expression, and Oliver had broken out of his stupor before she decided that his speechlessness was more irritating than endearing. The rest of the night had been easy, with both of them starting with stealing small lingering touches, going all the way to shamelessly making out on the couch; and they had talked, about Oliver’s years on the island, and about Felicity’s years on the road, running away from the law with her father, and then lighter topics of Oliver’s stories about his adventures with Thea and Felicity’s college life. _

 

_ It had been normal, and soft, Felicity’s presence giving his mind a sort of clarity, at the same time, the alcohol giving everything a hazy-dreamlike quality, and it would’ve made it to being one of the best dates with Felicity that Oliver had ever had, but then he had cooked. _

 

_ Or well, tried to cook. _

 

_ But well, in his defence, Felicity had hopped on the counter to watch him instead of sitting on the stool, keeping a safe enough distance between them so that Oliver could actually concentrate, which led to Oliver spending more time standing between her legs, kissing her than he did in front of the stove. _

 

_ Which of course meant that everything burned.  Everything. _

 

_ He remembers Felicity’s panicking squeals as the pan itself lit on fire, his own muted curses melting with her loud, and sightly laughing  _ oh my god’s  _ as he ran for the fire extinguisher. The dinner had been a disaster, and they had had to fill their stomachs with a day old Chinese take-out in Oliver’s fridge, and Oliver had been _ disappointed,  _ he had kicked himself, and hated himself for not being able to be normal for even a night, all for two seconds before he realized that Felicity was shaking, trying not to laugh out loud, stuffing her face with noodles to muffle the sound, _

 

_ It had been the first time he had looked at her and thought,  _

 

God, I love her.

 

_ He didn’t need to be normal for Felicity. He could be who he was, and he could make her happy at the same time. A weight had lifted itself off of Oliver’s shoulders as he had reached for Felicity then, tasting spices on her lips, and happiness on her tongue. She was wonderful, and she was with him. He was never going to let her go. She would be stuck with him for as long as she would have him. _

 

He had of course, since then learned how to cook after a couple of years of practice. He had been almost as bad as Felicity at the beginning. It was only after him and Felicity had started going steady, and Oliver had discovered that pretty much 70 percent of his girlfriend’s diet consisted of Red Bull and Ramen Noodles that he decided he was going to learn how to cook. Their lives had taken a turn towards domestic then. Spending daylight hours either on a mission, or him working out and her researching their next target, and the evenings catching up with each other while he cooked and she sipped wine and pressed warm kisses to his shoulders.

 

He’s still smiling at the memory when Raisa leaves, and still smiling as he puts on his coat to go to his father’s abandoned factory to get started on the hunt for Adam Hunt, the only thing that manages to falter his mood is his mother calling for him as he makes his way to his motorbike,

 

“Oliver!” Oliver turns around to see his mother reaching for his hand, her expression almost giddy, “There’s someone I want to introduce you to. John Diggle. He’ll be accompanying you from now on.”

 

Just one sentence and Oliver’s smile suddenly feels painful on his face,

 

“I don’t need a babysitter.” 

 

“Darling,” Walter starts, and Oliver still can’t believe how weird that sounds, “Oliver is a grown man. If he feels like he doesn't need our protection-”

 

“No, I understand.” Moira says, cutting him off, “But this is something I need.” She turns to look at Oliver with that stubborn set in her jaw, and Oliver already knows he’s lost. He sighs. Guess he’s getting a bodyguard.

>\------|>

 

John Diggle is a quiet man.

 

Something Oliver can usually appreciate, but right now, it is making the already uncomfortable atmosphere in the car heighten to almost a suffocating degree. Oliver isn’t used to silence. He’s used to mindless chatter that he doesn’t really have to join in on, but always listens to. That’s probably the reason why he breaks first,

 

“So… what do I call you?” There is a slight pause, as if John Diggle is considering deigning Oliver’s question with a response. It annoys Oliver more than it should,

 

“‘Diggle’’s good. ‘Dig’ if you want.” His responses are succinct, clear, and Oliver nods realizing,

 

“You’re ex-military?” Oliver asks, but doesn’t pay much attention as he silently crawls over to the side door, and sneaks out, rolling over the road and shutting the door back in one movement-

 

There. Bye-bye, John Diggle.

 

It takes him hours to set up the foundry, breaking down walls, and clearing out more space for his workout area and computer network system. He knows Felicity would probably cry when she saw the kind of equipment he was working with, but it can’t be helped, because she’s not here, and as much time as Oliver has spent listening to Felicity talk about computers and coding, most of it still goes right above his head.

 

Even his workouts feel lonely without the usual appreciative eye. He never thought he would miss Felicity staring at him as he made his way up and down the salmon ladder. But, at least his muscles appreciate the strain. It’s past sunset by the time he’s done with his workout, has sharpened enough arrows, and is ready leave the foundry to take on Hunt. 

>\-----|>

  
  


It’s his phone ringing that wakes him up the next morning. He jolts awake, his hand reaching over, searching for warm skin or soft hair but coming up empty. He flops back on his pillow with a groan, eyes shut tight against the intense urge to rip something because of how frustrated he is. But, the phone keeps ringing, and Oliver picks it up without looking at the id, snapping before the person on the other line has a chance to say anything,

 

_ “What?”  _ It’s a borderline snarl, but that’s what apparently happens when he wakes up cold and alone.

 

“Woah there, grumpy pants! Calm down!” Oliver’s eyes close.  _ Felicity. _ It’s Felicity. “Woke up at the wrong side of the bed?” She teases him, which makes him pout because while he’s here ready to murder someone, she sounds downright cherry,

 

“Woke up alone.” He grouses in reply, and she laughs lightly at his petulant tone,

 

“Oh, poor baby…” She humms and Oliver distantly hears sounds of a chair rolling, “I heard what happened to Adam Hunt on the police scanners, by the way. Very nice work,  _ Mr.Hood. _ ”

 

“Where are you?” Oliver asks worriedly, she sounds too awake for 7 am, and it’s starting to sound more and more like she in her-

 

“I’m at the office. There was this bit of software that I, for the life of me couldn’t figure out. But! I cracked it like half an hour ago. It was awesome.”

 

“ ‘licity… Did you even go to bed?”

 

“Oh no, mister. I’ve had like 5 cans of Red Bull. The last thing on my mind is bed.” Felicity babbled, “Well, bed as in sleep. But, there are multiple things I can do in bed. Like sex. Let’s have sex, Oliver.”

 

Oliver sighs, doesn’t know what he’s feeling more, concerned, amused, or aroused. But, that’s what Felicity does to him, just stuffs him with all these feelings that he has to take the time to categorize or he would just burst at the seams,

 

“Felicity. You’re at your office. We can’t have phone sex when you’re in your office.”

 

There’s some ruffling on the other side, and then Felicity’s voice comes on again, this time low and breathy, “Even if I tell you that I’m not wearing any underwear, Mr.Queen?”

.

.

Well, There’s no way they’re not having phone sex now. Professionalism be damned.

  
  


“You know,” Felicity’s words are garbled slightly with their heavy breathing, “There was a reason for this call.”

 

“You mean other than getting your first orgasm in two days?”

 

“... yes, other than that.” Her sheepish tone makes him smile, “You know those trick arrows of yours that we worked on?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Well, I did something.” She says, her voice giddy with excitement, like a child getting there first 100% on their math test,

 

“What’d you do, hun?”

 

“So, I’ve been working on this for a while, but I wrote this software, right? You encrypt it into one of those trick arrows, and BAM! Shoot them anywhere near a server, and I can basically hack the entire network.”

 

“Felicity Queen,” Oliver stated, his smile wide and proud, and Felicity giggled because she knew what was coming next, “You are remarkable.”

 

“Why Mr.Queen,” Her tone was coy, and Oliver could feel the heat building up at the base of his stomach again, “Thank you for remarking on it.”

 

It had become a sort of tradition ever since he had first said those words to her. At the time, they had been acquaintances at best, and Oliver had been just as in awe of her as he was now. She never failed to impress him. And he never failed to tell her just how impressed he was. There’s a lull in their conversation as he imagines her laying back in her office chair, ponytail messy and eyes shut with exhaustion, the phone still pressed to her ear,

 

“Felicity, I’m worried about you.”

 

“Hmm?” Even that bit of sound coming from her sounds tired, and right now, Oliver really wants to place a kiss on her head, and pick her up and lay her down in a bed. Maybe climb in after her and cuddle her close till she at least has eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. It definitely won’t be the first time he had to remind her to take care of herself. As amazing as Felicity is with her computers, she can also sometimes lose herself in her code, forgoing basic necessities to reach a breakthrough,

 

“Hun, when was the last time you ate?” 

 

“Don’t worry, hubby. Gerry brought me some of those dumplings from that place at 6th and Rose? You know, the one you like because they use whole ingredients?”

 

“Good. I knew that man was good for something.” He could feel Felicity rolling her eyes at him, her chipper voice giving way to lazy drawls as she comes down from all those energy drinks she’s had,

 

“That man, happens to be one of the most respected members of the forensic team. You’ve somehow convinced him to babysit me.”

 

“He’s not babysitting you.” Oliver denies vehemently, even though that’s exactly what he’s doing. Gerry might be really good at what he does, but he’s still just kind of a dork, and Oliver isn’t above using a bit of intimidation to make sure he gets his wife back in one place. Though, it wasn’t like a lot of intimidation was necessary. Gerry adores Felicity, as do a lot of members in their faction. “He’s just… looking after you.”

 

Felicity makes a sounds that tells Oliver that she doesn’t really believe him, but she drops it anyway, “What are your plans for today?”

 

“Well, I’ll have to wait and see if Adam Hunt listens to me and transfers that money. If not, I’ll just do it for him.”

 

“And you have a plan for that?”

 

“I made sure that Tommy planned my welcome bash from right across Hunt’s office. I’ll just need to disappear from the party scene for an hour or so, cross a name off the list, and then make enough appearances at my party to get me an alibi.”

 

“Solid plan.” Felicity agrees.

 

“I know what you’re doing today too.” Oliver says sternly,

 

“Yeah? What’s that?”

 

“You’re gonna go back home, and get some sleep. You sound like you’re gonna drop any moment, honey.” There’s silence on the other hand, and Oliver’s half afraid she’s fallen asleep on him when she sighs,

 

“It feels really lonely without you.” Her tone is petulant enough for him to know she’s half teasing him. But, it’s only half. He smiles,

 

“I know. But, you have to take care of yourself. The only way I can survive here if I know that you are living your life there, healthy.” He sits up, throwing the covers and climbing out of bed, “It’s only for a little while, Felicity.”

 

“You’re right. Only for a little while longer.” He can hear her taking a bracing breath, “Okay. I’m gonna go home. You please be careful. And don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. I love you.”

 

“Always. I love you too.”

 

Oliver sighed as she hung up, and decided to go take a shower and go the foundry till it was time for the party.

 

>\------|>

 

The party Tommy planned out, is unsurprisingly loud. The few times Oliver has spend his nights in clubs, have been on missions, and is usually accompanied by Felicity’s voice in his ear. The lack of an ear piece now makes him feel slightly naked, like an important part of his armor is missing, but he forgoes that thought when he sees Tommy quietening down the music so that he can introduce Oliver to the ‘guests’. Oliver glances at his phone, Adam Hunt has about half an hour to transfer all the money before he gets an arrow in the shoulder and Oliver does it for him.

 

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! MAN OF THE HOUR!!!!” Tommy screams, and right on cue, ‘We Are The Champions’ starts playing through the club. Oliver smirks, but on the inside, he’s rolling his eyes so hard, he’s pretty sure he’s giving his soul a whiplash,

 

As it is, he maintains his facade; grabs a tequila, and hypes up the crowd, and then goes over to the corner of the bar to bid his time. Trying his best to avoid the girls that go out of the way to talk to him. He never realized how exhausting this was, pretending to be someone else without a running commentary from his wife in his ear. Felicity has always been able to make everything so light and easy with almost no effort on her part, and now he’s seeing glimpses of how life would’ve been like without her, and he’s almost glad for ARGUS. Oliver smiles tightly when a blonde brushes his shoulder and orders herself a drink, but doesn’t participate in conversation till she realizes that he isn’t actually interested in her.  He’s not left alone for even five minutes before Tommy walks over to join him,

 

“Now, by my rough estimate, you have not had sex in 1389 days. I really don’t get why you wouldn’t go for that blonde. What? Not hot enough for you?” Oliver sighs, but smiles none the less all teeth and no happiness. It’s just pretending. He’s just playing a part,

 

“You could say that.” Tommy turns him around so that their both looking at the stage,

 

“What about Carmen Golden?” Tommy nods towards a group of girls dancing on the raised stage, and Oliver gives them a cursory glance before looking over the rest of the establishment,

“Which one is she?”

 

“The one who looks like the chick from twilight.”

 

Oliver snorts, having found Gerry reading one of those books all the while hiding behind one of the lockers in the work-out areas a few months ago. The smaller man had stammered and blushed and spilled all the details about how his wife doesn’t appreciate him reading romance novels, but about how he thinks he can very well be both manly and enjoy a good old Nicholas Sparks at the same time.

 

Oliver hadn’t even said anything to initiate that rant. He had merely raised an eyebrow at Gerry’s crouched form. No wonder him and Felicity got along so well. As it is, he’s not supposed to know anything about twilight, so he side steps that little comment with a neat, “What’s twilight?”

 

All he gets in response is an amused smile and a secretive, “You’re better of not knowing.”

 

Oliver has never understood the allure of romance novels. And people might say that’s just because he’s a guy, but he knows for a fact that Felicity can’t handle books where the main genre is romance either. She will ship the hell out of couples as long as their stories have more substance than just falling in love. When Oliver had asked her about Twilight, she had just shuddered, looked at him dead in the eyes, and said in her serious voice that ‘inter-species relationships just creeped her out.’ Apparently, she always ended up thinking too much about the difference in their biology, and body parts, and really, how would the sex work? And what about the language barrier? And! And what about-

 

At which point Oliver had stopped her before she could give herself a panic attack with a heated kiss and a nudge towards the bedroom, because well, she was adorable, and she had been talking about sex.

 

Oliver smiles more genuinely before letting his eyes roam over the place one more time, only stopping when he notices his seventeen year old sister exchanging drugs at his welcome home party.

 

Seventeen.

 

Drugs.

 

He makes his way over, trying to calm down, already remembering when Felicity had told him that more often than not, him getting angry instead of communicating made the situation worse instead of better, but no matter what he did, he couldn't get his breathing in control, couldn't get the image of his sister, high and out of control, just like he was at her age, out of his mind.

 

“Ollie! Hey, this party is sick!”

 

“Who let you in here?” He snapped, but Thea just smiled at him, eyes glazed. She was already high. Discreetly, Oliver took the pills she had hid in her bag, and sneaked them into his own pocket,

 

“I believe it was someone who said, ‘right this way, Ms.Queen.’”

 

“Thea, you shouldn't be here.” Thea scoffed,

 

“Ollie, I'm not twelve any more.”

 

“No, you’re seventeen.” Oliver could see Thea gearing up for an argument, but it did nothing to quell his anger,

 

“Ollie, I love you. But, you can’t come back here and judge me. Especially for being just like you.” Oliver sighed,

 

“Hey,” He deliberately softened his voice against her eyes of steel, “I love you too, Speedy. And I know that these past years couldn't have been easy for you, with both me and dad gone-”

 

“Gone? You were dead, Ollie. Both you and Dad were dead. Mum had Walter but I had no one. And I know you’re back. And I am so happy that you’re back, but that isn't going to make the last five years just disappear, Ollie.” Thea’s voice trembled, “So, I'm sorry if I turned out to be some major disappointment-”

 

Oliver cut her off right there, “Hey, no.” He grabbed her arms, holding her because he knew all she wanted to do was walk out of there, “I'm so proud of you, Speedy.” He saw her eyes widen, tears filling but never falling, “You’re so strong, Thea. And I know, that I've never been a very good role model, but you've always been the purest part of me. And that hasn't changed.”

 

Thea just stared at him, and he could tell she was surprised. Oliver had never been too sentimental, even before the island. But, he has always spoiled his sister, always made her feel loved, and what Thea needed most right now was love. So, when she looked away, blinking back the moisture and squeezing his arm in gratitude, all he could do was pull her closer and place a kiss to her temple.

“Please be responsible.” He murmured against her hair, “And get someone sober and adult to drive you home?”

 

Thea was quiet for a while, and when she did reply, it was just with a quiet ‘okay’.

 

Oliver quickly threw the pills in the trash, and did his best to ignore the semi-proud semi-surprised smirk his bodyguard was giving him. He had just thought that he would wait for deadline somewhere quieter when he bumped into someone,

 

“Oh.” He said eloquently when he saw who it was, “You’re here?” His statement came out more as a question than anything else. He hadn't been prepared to see Laurel. Hadn't expected them to meet till he had at least settled down in this life. 

 

“Tommy!” She suddenly exclaimed, and then looked like she was searching for something to say, “He made a point that we have too many years between us to leave things the way we left them.”

 

Oliver’s eyes furrowed, and he nodded, not knowing what to say,

 

“Is there some place quieter that we could go?” She asked, and Oliver discreetly looked down at the phone. He still had ten minutes. With a tight smile, he walked Laurel upstairs, trying not to show how much he was not looking forward to this conversation. But, Laurel deserved an apology. It was the least she deserved after what happened with Sara, so Oliver bit the bullet.

 

They walked for a few minutes before Oliver got the courage to actually open his mouth,

 

“I'm sorry.” He started with, and was met by Laurel’s surprised look, “For what happened with Sara. For the kind of man I was when we were together. You deserved better.”

 

Laurel was quiet for a moment before saying, “It took me a long time to admit it to myself, and a few more days to clear my head and remind myself when I heard that you were alive. But, Sara’s death was not your fault.” She looked like it pained her to admit it, “ I wish that I could blame it on someone. But, it was a freak accident, and it could just as easily have been you.”

 

“If I could, I would trade places with her.” He told her vehemently. Sarah didn't deserve to die, not for something he did. That’s the one guilt he will no doubt always carry with him, no matter what Felicity or anyone else said. Laurel smiled slightly at his statement,

 

“Well, I'm glad you’re not dead. And if not only for myself, then for Tommy, and Thea, and Moira.” She took a deep breath, “As for the man you were before,” She shrugged, “I knew exactly the kind of man you were. But, I stayed anyway. Because I was in love, and I knew that you also loved me.”

 

“I did.” Oliver said, because he did love her at some point. Maybe he wasn't in love with her for very long, but he had cared for her enough to date her for two years. Laurel’s brow furrowed, as if she found something in his reply odd, and she had just opened her mouth to ask about it when his phone vibrated,

 

He switched on his cell phone, and grimaced when he saw that the account was empty still, not the he had had too much hope for another outcome in the first place,

 

“Something wrong?” Oliver looked up to see that Laurel was still looking at him. He smiled dismissively, but took a step back. Her inquisitive gaze and sharp mind had been bad for his cheating ways back when they were together. They were even worse for his secret vigilante-ing.

 

“Nothing for you to worry about.” He raised his cell phone, screen blank, “I'm sorry, this is important. I have to go.”

 

Laurel looked on at his retreating back, confused, and only walked on downstairs once he was out of sight. She was met by Tommy waiting at the bottom of the stairs,

 

“Good talk?” His voice was guarded, why though, Laurel couldn't understand. But, Laurel smiled. It had been a good talk. Oliver had taken responsibility for his actions. It had been the first time they had referenced his wandering eye in the entire course of their relationship. Laurel from the past would've just ignored his playboy ways,and Ollie of the past would've ignored Laurel’s feigned ignorance. But the Laurel she was now was happy that they had hashed everything out in the open. It made her believe that Ollie did change in these past years. It made her believe that maybe this Oliver wouldn't be the kind of person who cheated. That after five years stuck on a deserted island, he had come back more appreciative for everything he had before. Including her.

 

“Yes. We cleared the air. He apologised, and I told him I was happy he was back. Like you said, we've had too many years between us to not be friends.”

 

Tommy relaxed slightly, “That’s it?” Laurel frowned, remembering Oliver’s odd behaviour,

 

“Yeah. He said he needed to do something?” Laurel replied, “I suppose we’ll see him at some point again tonight.”

 

Tommy grinned at her, and pulled her closer by the belt of her coat,

 

“Maybe we can find something to do for ourselves.”

 

Laurel giggled as Tommy pulled her over to one of the VIP rooms, “I suppose we could.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.... An Olicity date.  
> What do you think about the flashback? What is even the point of Oliver and Felicity meeting in ARGUS if I don't write about their time there?
> 
> This story is still mostly about Oliver's journey as the Hood, but I probably will keep adding snippets about their time at ARGUS.
> 
> You guys, it physically pains me to write about how in love Tommy is with Laurel... But, It won't last long is I have anything to say about it (*^*). And John Diggle made an appearance this chapter. I'm looking forward to writing more Diggle. His POV has always been one of my favourite things about the ARROW fandom. 
> 
> Don't know if you realised, Gerry was Felicity's EA in season 3 when she worked for Palmer. We didn't really see him, and he isn't her EA here, but Oliver and Felicity are going to know a lot of people from ARGUS that they didn't know in the show.
> 
> Again, thank you guys for all the feedback. For reading and supporting and being generally very enthusiastic about this fic. I'm so looking forward to the rest of the story. 
> 
> You can follow me on twitter: @in_enochian for updates on all my fics. And DM me if you wanna be friends. I desperately need hardcore Olicity shipper friends.
> 
> -manarshake


	4. Your Love Lifts Me Up (When I'm Down Down Down)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Chapter name is from the song Helium by Sia (Who is soo fucking awesome, BTW)
> 
> A few things before you get started,
> 
> First of all, thank you for the overwheling response to the last chapter, and for giving me ideas of who I should set Tommy up with. You guys blow me away. We're on the third chapter and we already broke a 100 comments. That's awesome.
> 
> Second, My mid terms are coming up, but that won't really interfere with the uploading schedule. Just in case though, you can follow me on Twitter to get a notification when ever I upload a chapter. (@in_enochian) just in case the schedule shifts a little bit.
> 
> Third, the mid terms also mean that I won't be watching the 7th season till I'm done with all my papers (GASP! TEARS!!) and I know that this one doesn't really make a difference to any of you, but I AM SO SAD!! :(
> 
> Anyway, that's all for now! Happy Reading!
> 
> P.S This is where the storyline changes quite a lot.

Tommy knocked on his best friend’s room only out of courtesy, and because he didn't know who Oliver had left with last night after one of their regular pub crawls, or if he even had taken someone home. Oliver rarely let him know when he was leaving, but Tommy wasn't sure if a woman was behind this particularly careless habit. Either way, Tommy didn't want to see any more of Oliver than he already had after twenty plus years of friendship, so he thought knocking would've been better.

 

But, like he had decided, the knocking was only courtesy, and when Oliver didn't respond, Tommy pushed open the door to find his best friend still sleeping, thankfully clothed and alone. He seemed to be snoring, and Tommy almost left him undisturbed, but they did have to go to that court hearing, where they would officially resurrect Oliver Queen back from the dead. It was a morbid task, but necessary. As it was, it was past ten, and they would have to leave in an hour, so instead, Tommy walked closer instead,

 

“Ollie, wake up.” Oliver’s response was only a small groan. He outstretched his arm over to the empty side of the bed and frowned when his  hands fells on empty bedsheets. Tommy huffed, and moved closer still, gently shaking Oliver by his shoulder,

 

“Oliver… Oliver, wake up. We’re late as it is.” Oliver buried his face in his pillow like a petulant child and snuggled deeper into the pillows,

 

“Five more minutes, ‘licity.”

 

There was that name again. City something. Tommy was so confused. And so curious. He rubbed a hand over his face in agitation and his wandering eye locked over Oliver’s phone. He stilled. Should he? He shook his head. Eavesdropping was one thing, but he wouldn’t stoop so low as to check his phone like a jealous girlfriend.

 

But, didn't Tommy have a right to know?

 

He compromised. He’ll try to wake Oliver one more time. If he didn't wake up, Tommy would just take one tiny peek. Taking a deep breath, Tommy took a step back, and spoke in the softest voice he could muster without feeling like he was cheating,

 

“...Ollie, you awake?”

 

No response. Quietly, he trudged closer to the night stand, feeling like a stalker, and he was just about to grab the phone, when a hand shot out of nowhere and snatched his wrist,

 

Tommy might have squealed just a little bit.

 

Oliver’s brow where furrowed, and he was just opening his eyes at Tommy’s (very manly than you very much) reaction, but his grip was strong, and almost menacing in it’s hold,

 

“Tommy?” His voice was still slurred, geez, what kind of insane reflexes did he have? And since when? “What are you doing here?”

 

“I came to wake you up, buddy. You have a court hearing in an hour.” Oliver’s frown deepened,

 

“Time is it?” Tommy gave his Rolex a cursory look,

 

“10:10.”

 

“Shit.” Oliver cursed, suddenly shooting up, wide awake, and speed-walked over to the bathroom, “Thanks, Tommy. I’ll be out in ten.”

 

Again, Tommy was all alone with Oliver’s phone, and the temptation was stronger than ever. He shoved his hands in his pockets. It wasn't the right thing to do. But, it was as if the fates were tempting him, because just as Tommy had decided he wasn't going to invade his friend’s privacy, Oliver’s phone lit up with a text.

 

**_Gerry_ **

_ Wifey just walked in. She looks rested. _

 

**_Gerry_ **

_ Or well, as rested as she can look considering  _

_ What you've been doing since you left. _

 

**_Gerry_ **

_ Don’t worry. We’re having lunch together today. _

_ I’ll make sure she eats. _

 

Tommy’s hands clenched in his pockets out of the desperate curiosity he was feeling. Behind the texts, he could see a blurry version of the phone’s lock screen. He could vaguely make out a woman, blonde; but that was it. The rest of it was blurred because of the texts, and he was just itching to swipe everything clear but he knew Oliver would know if he did. So instead, he just stared at those three texts till the screen turned black again.

 

Gerry? The only ‘Gerry’ Tommy knew was that tiny nerd back in second grade class. Oliver had been surprisingly nice to him considering at the rest of the class, including Tommy had constantly made fun of him. But, they hadn't seen Gerry since middle school.

 

Also, What you've been doing since you left? Left from where? Oliver had been on a deserted island. Tommy was at least 75% sure of it. But, that percentage number seemed to be going down everyday.

 

And last but not the least, WIFEY? What wifey? Whose wifey? Last time he checked, Oliver wasn't married. But, well, if Oliver wasn't on an island, who’s to say he’s still single? It would explain the sudden lack of interest in Laurel. Before the gambit went down, Oliver and Laurel were like magnets. Not good for each other just because of how opposite they were. Their morals, ambitions, future plans, everything differed, but just like opposite poles of magnets, they always ended up together. It had been infuriating, watching the woman he loved, getting treated like a second thought by the best friend he thought of as a brother.

 

But, well. This wifey person certainly changed things. Tommy didn’t know how he felt about Oliver’s possible dual life. But, he was done feeling guilty about snooping. If Oliver had another family, another life, then Tommy had the right to know.

 

Tommy had been about to reach for the phone again when he heard the bathroom door open again, Oliver came out, freshly showered and in a bathrobe, Tommy took two quick steps back, and awkwardly waved,

 

“Okay. I’ll see you downstairs. Don’t for a second think that I'm going to leave you to deal with those douche bag paparazzi all by yourself.”

 

“Thanks Tommy. I appreciate it.”

 

Tommy nodded, and walked back outside, but not before watching Oliver unlock his phone, and smile at the screen. He wasn't sure if it was the lock screen or the series of texts that lit his face up like that but, Tommy was sure as hell going to figure it out.

>\-----|>

 

The court hearing had gone just as well as it could've, and Oliver was looking forward to some alone time so that he could talk to Felicity. He had been exhausted yesterday after another night of fighting crime, and had dropped like a sack of potatoes when he reached his bed. Operating missions without Felicity’s voice guiding him in the right direction, the one voice he would and did trust blindly seemed to make the everything three times more difficult. It would explain why he didn't wake up until 10, and that too only after he felt a suspicious presence hovering near him.

 

He had just excused himself from whatever his mother had planned for him today, and had been thinking about how to get rid of Digg and Tommy when he bumped into someone,

 

“Ollie.” Laurel’s voice was breathy. It made Oliver’s already tense posture even more tense, “What are you doing here?”

 

“I was brought back from the dead today. Legally speaking.” Oliver smiled fleetingly at the two women standing behind Laurel, before looking at the woman in question again, wondering if it would be considered rude if he just booked a hasty exit.

 

“Hey, Laurel.” Tommy spoke up from beside him, his own voice now uneasy, and Oliver was confused, “Haven’t seen you since Oliver’s welcome back party. I tried calling but-”

 

“I've been busy, Tommy.” Laurel spoke up, and turned to face Oliver even as she continued, “You know, I have this big case against Martin Somers and his involvement with the Chinese Triad.” She looked disgusted and determined at the same time, “Hopefully we can put him behind bars before he hurts more people.”

 

Martin Somers.

 

He was on the list.

 

Oliver’s back straightened, his desire to go back to the foundry for some privacy now increased with the need to stop one more person on his father’s list. Oliver found himself not giving a damn about propriety as he excused himself with brief goodbyes and walked outside the building-

 

Only to find himself looking at Martin Somers surrounded by paparazzi.

 

“I don’t know what I’ve done to earn this “witch hunt” from Ms. Lance and her bosses at the CNRI, but I will tell you this. I am an honest businessman and I will fight this slander to my last dying breath.” Somers was saying to a group of paparazzi and left before he could be bombarded with more questions. Losing interest in less than a second, the media focused on Oliver as he walked down the stairs towards the town car, surrounded by Diggle’s huge frame keeping the rest of the crowd at least two feet from Oliver’s immediate vicinity, which was very impressive considering the sheer amount of cameras that were being flashed in Oliver’s face. And maybe Oliver should cut the guy some slack, but Oliver was so tired already, the hearing taking a lot out of him, and he missed his wife who he hadn’t heard from since yesterday afternoon, so as soon as he heard the car door close beside him, he asked the driver to take him to the diner two blocks from the Queen Steel Factory, leaving both Diggle and Tommy behind, from where he walked over to the foundry, only taking a breath when he slumped over on the chair near the computer system, his phone already dialling his wife,

 

“Hey there.” She picked up on the second ring, sounding like she had run all the way towards her phone. It made him smile,

 

“Felicity.” He sighed her name, and imagined her closing her eyes just like he was doing his,

 

“Mmm, I’m guessing the hearing didn’t go all that well.” Oliver was silent for a moment,

 

“I didn’t expect it to be as hard as it was. Not after all these years.”

 

“Oh honey…” Her voice was soft again. He loved her soft voice. It made him feel like his insides were stuffed with unadulterated warmth, “I’m sorry. Discussing your father and Sara, it will probably always be hard. But, you are so strong, Oliver. You are the strongest person I know.”

 

“That’s funny.” Oliver replied, grinning, feeling himself lighten up at her faith in him, “Because you are the strongest person I know.”

 

She hmmed an agreement when sometime last year, she would have blushed and tried her best to deny it. He loved how far they had come together. How good they were for each other. The whole world could crumble at his feet, but Oliver would never doubt Felicity, and the love that they share for each other.

 

“Gerry told me he was taking you out for lunch. How was that?”

 

“Oh, we went to this new Thai place that opened down town. The food was good. Not as good as yours, of course-”

 

“Of course.” Oliver concurred readily. Felicity laughed, Oliver calmed further.

 

“But, their Shrimp Tempura was amazing. I kept thinking, if you were here, you definitely would've gone to the back and asked for the recipe.” She sounded wistful, and it made him nostalgic for their dates too. “Anyway, how about you? How will  _ Mr.Hood _ better the lives of the Starling city citizens tonight?”

 

Oliver groaned, “You know I don’t like that name.”

 

“You say that, but unless you tell the papers themselves what you want to be called, everybody’s going to keep calling you that.” She replied cheekily and Oliver huffed,

 

“Anyway, I already have the next target. The hood will be giving Martin Somers a visit tonight. Just a warning for now, so you don’t have to worry too much.”

 

“I always worry.” She replied with a sigh, and her chair squeaked a little as she straightened up, “Anyway, my break is over, so I need to go now, but, I’ll call you tonight okay?”

 

“Yeah. I love you.”

 

“I love you too. Oh, and Oliver, honey?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Maybe not talk about yourself in third person?”

 

Oliver laughed, but didn’t reply as they hung up. He sighed. Now, all that was left to do was get his regular workout in, and hunt down Somers.

 

>\----|>

 

Talking with Felicity last night after going after Somers had been enlightening. He had been contemplating what to do about his mother’s proposition about getting him a position at QC. On one hand, It would limit his time to hunt down the men responsible for his father’s death, but on the other hand, he also knew that his entire life couldn’t be just about righting his father’s wrongs. He was trying to build a life, a future with Felicity, one that maybe included a dog, and definitely included a few kids down the line. He wouldn’t be able to do that, if he donated all his time and energy to running around at night and fighting bad guys.

 

Moderation. He will have to find a balance. And that will start with taking on a few responsibilities in the light of day.

 

Felicity agrees. She’s always thought of him as someone smart, even when he had told her about dropping out of four colleges while feigning nonchalance and hoping she didn’t judge him too harshly. Felicity had just patted his arm and told him in a matter of fact voice that she knew that if he had even cared about school, she knew he would’ve been good at it.

 

That woman, she always saw so much potential in him. She never placed him on a pedestal, never told him what he would have to do to make her love him. Instead, she stood by his decisions, silently when she didn’t agree and with pride shining in her eyes when she did, all the while her support was unconditional, and she made him want to be better, not only because he felt like he deserved her love a little bit more, but also because he liked the person he was when he was with her.

 

So, when he does tour QC with his mother and Walter, he does it in a proper suit. And he listens to Walter talking about all the improvements QC has made since he’s been gone with a contemplative look on his face. When the older man is done, Oliver looks over at him with an embarrassed smile,

 

“I… I know that I’m not qualified, and that I didn’t really get my masters in business administration on the island. But, I’m ready to help in anyway I can. I just don’t know where I will fit in this business.”

 

Moira’s eyes soften at his confession, and even Walter has something that looks very familiar to relief in his eyes. His voice, when he speaks tell Oliver that he’s managed to impress the older man,

 

“Of course, we don’t expect you to handle the company right away, Oliver. But, this is your family company. Your father’s legacy, and I’m sure that after shadowing me and learning about the business in a more hands-on manner, you’ll be able to take up the mantle of CEO with ease.”

 

Oliver himself isn’t too sure, but he promised himself to try, so that’s what he’ll do.

 

Maybe his mother can see his uncertainty, and maybe she mistakes it for carelessness or irresponsibility, because she tells him,

“Oliver, I know this will be a rough transition for you,” her arm tangles with Walter’s as she takes a step forward, “but, taking a position with the company will mean that you can’t just disappear on us without anyone knowing where you are, and then refuse to pick up your phone. The media will expect you to follow in your father’s footsteps and make this company flourish. You can’t do that if even your bodyguard doesn’t know where you are.”

 

Oliver sighs, There it is again. Expectations. His mother, as much as he loves her, is always trying to make him something he isn’t. It made him want to act out by getting drunk and sleeping around before the island. Now, It just makes him so angry.

 

“Mom, I’ve been alone on an island for five years-”

 

“I know-”

 

“No, mom. Alone. This, sudden presence of other people, people I’m not familiar with, everywhere I go, it’s draining. So, I’m sorry I cannot be Robert Queen 2.0, but I’m just trying to be the best version of myself that I can be.”

 

He storms out of the office, Diggle behind him, feeling lost whenever Walter and Moira’s new relationship is thrown in his face. He has fantasized being reunited with his family a million times, ever in any of those fantasies, is his dad’s CFO married to his mother and sleeping down the hall.

 

When Diggle and he finally manage to avoid all the paparazzi, and get settled in the town car, it’s to an uncomfortable silence. Oliver hadn’t wanted to make a scene, especially not in front of John Diggle or Walter Steele. But, he can’t help it. As much as he loves his mother, he remembers how controlling and suffocating she can be, and he can’t handle being under her thumb after so many years of making decisions on his own.

 

“You know, I spent the first 27 years of my life in Starling city and the next five in Afghanistan, you want to know what I learned?” Diggle speaks up, and Oliver prepares himself for another judgemental reprimand,

 

“There’s no place like home?” He answers sarcastically,

 

“No. Just the opposite.” Diggle smiles ruefully, “ ‘Home’ is a battlefield. Back home, they’re all trying to get you. Get you to open up, be somebody you’re not sure you are anymore…”

 

Oliver tries to keep his expression neutral. He hadn’t expected such easy understanding… least of all from his bodyguard, but he supposes it makes sense. Both him and Diggle have gone through things ordinary people can’t even fathom, and it’s changed them both. Not for better, but not for worse either. It’s just made them… different.

 

The sense of kinship he suddenly feels is unexpected, but he stays silent, so Diggle continues,

 

“Or I could be wrong. Maybe after five years alone, you’re not as messed up in the head as you have every right to be.”

 

Diggle watches his charge and observes just like he’s been observing for the past few days. Oliver Queen might be pretending to be who he used to be, but, Diggle isn’t sure if the man behind the mask is actually as damaged as one would be if they were left without any human contact for five long years. Sometimes, just for a few seconds, Oliver’s mask slips off. Diggle hasn’t been able to form a pattern as to why or when it happens, but sometimes, his phone will chime, and he will see Oliver relax, or maybe a pair of heels will clack against the marble floor and Oliver will almost turn around before stopping himself. He looks like he feels uncomfortable in silence, but gets restless when faced with people.

 

Diggle knows there is more to Oliver Queen than five years on a deserted island, he’s just not sure he should try to find out what the ‘more’ is.

>\------|>

 

Oliver absently switched on the bug he had placed at Somer’s desk last night. It was a tiny thing, something Felicity developed a few years ago for making their missions easier. It was a ‘technical marvel’, Felicity’s words, he didn’t disagree. It was as thin as paper, and could be stuck anywhere like a sticker. Oliver had stuck it under Somer’s telephone, with a fake bar code design on the outer side of the bug so that it didn’t look out of place even if it was discovered.

 

He had been munching on an apple absent mindedly, pacing the floor as he waited for the feed to catch something. He knew that the bug was working, so the only explanation was that Somer was at the moment alone.

 

Not for long though, Oliver had just thrown the core away and settled down on his bed, the receiver attached to his bluetooth ear phone, when he heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps in his ear,

 

“Thank you for coming.” That was Martin Somer. Who had he invited?

 

“Anything for a friend.” The voice was female. Oliver tensed and sat up,

 

“We’re not friends. You smuggle drugs, I let you use my ports.”

 

China White.

 

Oliver had done intensive research on her through the ARGUS database, which he somehow still had access to. The only explanation he had for that was that Amanda Waller was trying to keep an open line of favours in case she needed his help for something. Oliver wasn’t to worried about that. His contract was terminated. She wouldn’t be able to force him to do anything he didn’t want to do. Oliver had asked his friend Jason Miller in legal to read over the clauses multiple times to see if he could find a loophole. And there wasn’t a better lawyer anywhere than Jason Miller.

 

“For which you’re paid a lot of money.” Quickly, Oliver bought his attention back to the conversation, feeling smug at Somer’s next statement,

 

“I don’t get paid enough to get arrows shot at me.” He sounded nervous, and Oliver’s smirk widened, “You need to take this guy seriously. He’s a bigger threat to you than Noscentti ever was.”

 

Noscentti was the guy that Somer’s had killed, Oliver remembers. He had briefly met his daughter when he had ran into Laurel at the courthouse after his hearing.

 

“Except now, It’s Noscentti’s daughter whose the problem.” China retorted. “Unlike your friend with the hood, we know where to find her.”

 

Oliver got up suddenly, he couldn’t let an innocent woman die. 

 

“Don’t be an idiot.” Somer cautioned, “You take out Emily Noscentti, and Laurel Lance will never let this go. She won’t stop until she burns you, me and the entire Triad to the ground.”

 

“Then we kill Ms. Lance.” He could almost hear the smugness in China’s voice. He waited until he heard her footsteps retreat, signalling the end of their conversation, and then removed the ear phone and placed it in his wallet.

 

The Triad wasn’t going to hurt anyone if Oliver had anything to say about it. Especially not someone who was his friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special mentions to @Newsies73 and @Dairi for some very original suggestions for Tommy's Love interest. It really gave me a lot to think about.
> 
> @MaryRoyale who commented that canon!Oliver would've noticed Tommy coming up and eavesdropping on him, I was worried about that too, but then I re-watched episode 2, and there is a scene when Oliver is surprised by Raisa entering his room with Lunch. So I'm guessing, sneaking up on Oliver when he's not expecting to be sneaked up on is possible.
> 
> Also, my Oliver is kinda like Ivy Town Oliver + Season 1 Oliver + Hong Kong flashbacks Oliver + Season 6 Married Oliver all mashed into one, so that changes a lot of the ways he responds in different situations.
> 
> YOU GUYS!! I love how much you want Felicity back with Oliver just because Oliver is being his mopey self. It makes me really happy!! All I can say about Felicity's return in that when she does come to Starling, she's not just an MIT graduate, but also has a very impressive resume from working as one of the most valued employees in ARGUS, and she grew up with her dad, who taught her everything he knows.
> 
> Lastly, I really hope you like the chapter, and there is so much fun stuff coming up because we are finally diverging from the story line. So stay tuned!! And gimme all the Feedback!!
> 
> -ms


	5. I know you think I'm heartless (I know you think I'm cold)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys, every time I expect a certain kind of response to a new chapter, you people just multiply it and it fills my heart, and it honestly makes my day; so thank you!! I love you guys, and I love that you are enjoying this so much.
> 
> @MaryRoyale, when I first started writing ASABS, I thought that the idea of ARGUS!Felicity was a bit too overused? I don't know why, cause now that I try to find similar fics, I got nothing? So yay me!
> 
> Also, about Lauliver being mutually toxic, obviously, Laurel didn't deserve the way Oliver treated her, but I could never understand what kind of motivation it would require for someone to stay with someone who cheated on them multiple times? Maybe that makes me naive? maybe there are more complex feelings involved,
> 
> All I know is that, there was this one scene where Laurel and Sarah were discussing Laurel becoming 'Laurel Queen' which I thought was super presumptuous, and it kinda felt like she wanted the Queen name more than she wanted to stay with Oliver? Also, that scene after Tommy's death but before Oliver leaves, where she tells Oliver that she's 'really excited for the rest of their lives together'? Like seriously, your boyfriend, who you semi-cheated on, just died.
> 
> (I have a lot of resentment towards Laurel, as evidenced by the earlier rant)
> 
> @Avery_Lynn9, Thankyou for the enthusiasm, your comment made me smile so hard :) :)
> 
> So, Tommy's love interests are either of these three women for now,  
> Helena Bertinelli  
> Carly Diggle  
> Patty Spivot  
> Any other suggestion is more than welcome!! Just comment down below who you'd like to see him with!!
> 
> HAPPY READING!!

Thea took a deep breath. She shouldn’t be this nervous about going to see her brother, but she was. Ollie had been... different ever since he came back. More intense, maybe, and a lot less careless. He had made a some effort to spend some one on one time with her, and Thea thought that maybe it was now her turn to arrange a brother-sister bonding experience.

 

At least, that’s what she had in mind before she saw Oliver standing in front of the TV in his room, door wide open, as he put on his shirt. Her breath caught in her throat as she took in the numerous scars and tattoos that covered his body. there was a chain hanging from his neck, but Thea could care less about her brother’s weird need to accessorize when there were clearly more important things that needed more attention. Before she could stop herself, she was already walking closer,

 

“Hey, how did you get those?!” She saw Oliver groan at her question, even as he turned to look at her with a pained look in his eyes,

 

“Don’t you knock?!” He snapped, hurrying the process of wearing on his shirt, but she stopped him before he actually could,

 

“Mom said that there were scars.” Thea remembered aloud, but she had never imagined something this bad. This horrific. She pulled down his shirt and stared, there was no way his years away on the island could explain the tattoos that were on his body, even if there was an answer to all the scars.

 

“I don’t want to talk about it, Speedy.” Oliver groused, and tried to pull his shirt back up, but Thea resisted, her eyes travelling from the weird Star tattoo on his chest that looked like it belonged to a cult, to the tattoo band on his left bicep that looked like it was written in another language, like Russian or Polish or something,

 

“Ollie, what happened to you on that island?” Thea asked, tracing the ink on his bicep and ignoring her brother’s flinch. He was hiding something from her, and Thea felt like she had the right to know. After all, Ollie had been gone for five long years, and those years had been miserable. But, if what Ollie had been  on a deserted island, there was no way he would have the marks he did have…

 

Thea wasn't an expert, but she had watched enough TV to know what gun shot wounds looked like. And even if Ollie had managed to get shot on a remote island, there was no way he would have also conveniently found a tattoo parlour there. Thea didn’t want to believe it, but it was starting to seem like Oliver was lying about some crucial information on his time away.

 

Oliver looked down at where his sister’s hand traced over his tattoo. It had been a spontaneous decision that he had made after too many shots of straight vodka after his initiation in the Russian Mafia. The Bratva tattoo on his chest had made him feel ugly. Like he was tainted forever with all the blood he carried on his hands. And his drunken mind had thought that maybe marking his body with something that was a sign of the light that he had found in the darkness, it would justify, or maybe neutralize the effects that the bratva tattoo had on his mental health? Oliver couldn't very well explain his drunken thought process. They were all stupid reasons thought by a very inebriated Oliver. But, he doesn’t regret the tattoo.

 

It’s a bold band around his upper arm that says ‘блаженство’. It means ‘blessing or bliss’ which is translated to ‘Felicity’ in Russian.

 

Oliver still remembers when Felicity had first seen it. It had been the night after he had returned from his undercover mission as a Bratva Captain, and his wife had already been emotional about all the new scars that he had acquired from the initiation, and then she had traced the tattoo on his arm, a question in her eyes, and Oliver had mumbled the answer into her neck where he was busy kissing her skin. It was the only time he had managed to make her completely speechless, (and he was counting the time she had been incoherable at his proposal). Since then Felicity had made a habit of kissing that shoulder of his whenever she felt he needed her support. Silently reminding him that she was always on his side no matter what.

 

The tattoo gives him strength when he desperately needs it, and it gives him the strength now to not just angrily blow up at his sister. It had been his fault for keeping his door open, though in his defence, he had thought Thea was at school and that he was alone. He takes a step back calmly, and shrugs his shirt on, quickly buttoning it up even as Thea’s eyes linger on his now sleeve covered arm. He sighs,

 

“Thea… a lot of things happened while is was away, and majority of them weren’t good. I’m not… I’m not ready to talk about them.”

 

Thea looked at him, expression swimming somewhere between disappointment and understanding. She knew Oliver was lying to her. Maybe he was lying to everybody. But, if those scars proved one thing, it was that there was no way Ollie was lying about his years away from Starling City not being good. And she knew he was making at effort. He had breakfast with her everyday, and even when he couldn’t make it to dinner, he tried his best to compensate it with either coffee dates or just going out of his way to wish her good night before he left god knows where with Tommy. And sure, maybe most of their talks were superficial with no real substance, but Thea had missed even those interactions with Ollie, and she was willing to wait for him to get better as long as he at least gave her something.

 

“Ollie… I know this might sound a little hypocritical of me, but you can’t bottle all of this up.” She could see him place his walls up again and it frustrated her. She stepped closer to him, placing a pleading hand on his defensively crossed arms, “It doesn’t have to be me, but you have to let someone in, Ollie.”

 

Oliver looked at his sister, his expression blank. He didn’t know what she wanted him to say. He had let someone in. But, there was no way Thea could know about her yet. She would lose her shit. But, Oliver still wasn’t ready to share everything about what happened with his family either, so really, he was at a loss.

 

“I’ll… I’ll try.” He gulped, and then sighed at her satisfied expression.

 

“Good. That’s all I ask.” She took a step back, and then tilted her head towards the door, “I came here to ask if you were free for lunch, actually. We have things to discuss. Including you taking over QC.”

 

Oliver laughed as he walked forward, “I always has time for you, Speedy.” He said as she linked her arm in his, “Also, I’m not taking over QC. I’m just going to start shadowing Walter.”

 

“Ta-ma-to To-ma-to.” Thea singsonged as they walked out the door for lunch at Table Salt.

 

>\------|>

 

Laurel sighed as she looked at the case file once again, her glass of white wine empty next to her. It had been her third, and she knew she couldn’t have anymore if she wanted to keep a clear head. But, the case was looking more and more bleak the longer she looked at it. She wasn’t giving up, not after empathising with Emily Noscentti on such a deep level. That girl had lost her father, and while her dad was still alive and kicking, that mutual loss of her sister and his daughter had created this almost unbreachable distance between them, something that made him want to protect her, but also made him want to keep his distance in case he lost her too.

 

On some days, it felt like she had more of a dictator than a father for a parent. So, yes she did sympathise with Emily, but empathy didn’t win cases, and she knew that if she wanted to bring Somer to justice, she was going to need harder evidence that just witnesses he could either shut up with bribes or kill off.

 

She had been distracted with the light buzz of alcohol in her system, and an almost crippling sense of defeat at the idea of letting another criminal walk free. But, even if she had been at her most vigilant, she still wouldn’t have seen the the man in the green hood sitting on the rooftop across from her building. She had almost given up and had been ready to refill her glass when she heard something on the fire escape. She lived on the 11th floor, and cats dropping in were rare. She stopped, considered her options, decided she was too curious to leave it alone, and decided to make her way towards the hallway window that opened to the fire escape.

 

She had barely taken two steps before she heard a hard crash, even the sounds numerous pairs of boots stamping couldn’t drown out her scream as she quickly turned around, running towards the front door before even the front entrance burst open, two more thugs with guns entering,

 

Laurel was sure she was going to die, and briefly she wondered what would happen to her father now, but before she could think for too long, the window of her living room crashed in, the vigilante in the green hood breaking into her house, already shooting two of the five men in their knees, leaving them incapacitated even before he had stepped foot in her apartment. He stalked over to the third guy, slamming his gun away before the man could shoot, and bodily pushing an arrow through his shoulder. Laurel quickly hid behind her couch, taking advantage of the fact that the vigilante’s presence had distracted the other two thugs. They started shooting at him, but they had slowed down in their surprise, and a bullet barely grazed the vigilante’s arm, before the remaining two thugs had arrows in their knees, and their heads bashed by his bow before they even fell, passed out.

 

Silence. Only punctuated by Laurel’s heavy breathing and light sobs. She peeked over to see the vigilante tying the now unconscious thugs with zip ties, but he looked over when he felt her eyes now her. She whimpered, but stood up shakily,

 

“Call the police.” His tone was harsh, his posture tense, and Laurel scrambled to comply even as her mind raced,

 

“You were waiting for them. You knew they would be here.” For long moments, she was sure he wasn’t going to answer, but he did, even if his only reply was a gruff ‘yes’.

 

“Th-thank you for saving me.” Laurel stuttered.

 

“You’re a civilian.” The hood spoke, he kept his hood down, and Laurel wished he would relax a bit further with her, “And right now, you’re the only person who can give Emily Noscentti and her father the justice they deserve.”

 

Laurel blew out a breath, her problems prior to this incident flooding back to her, “Yeah… as much as I would like to be the hero, the case is getting harder and harder to solve.”

 

The hood was silent, “What do you need to win it?” Laurel snorted,

 

“Well, hard evidence of Somer’s involvement or maybe even a confession might be nice.”

 

“What about a recording of him and China White discussing their involvement with drug smuggling and putting a hit on you? Would that be enough?”

 

Laurel froze,

 

“Yes!” She exclaimed. The Hood was still stiff, but slowly, he took out a flash drive from his jacket pocket, and placed it on the side table next to the window he had used to brust in,

 

“That contains everything you need to bring him to justice.” He said just as sirens were heard down the street. If it was possible, The hood stiffened further, and before Laurel could even thank him, for both saving her life and giving her the key to winning one of the biggest cases in the last decade, he was gone.

 

She stood still for a long moment, and had only just managed to walk over and pocket the drive when her father burst through the broken doors of her apartment, his face desperate. She sighed, half in relief, and half dreading the upcoming conversation. No doubt he was going to do his very best to keep her locked up with him in her room.

 

Well, too bad. She had a job to do, and she couldn’t help but wonder if now with the vigilante and her acquainted, she could help more people with his assistance.

 

>\------|>

 

Thea knew that what she was about to do was underhanded and a breach of trust. Trust that was very important to her brother. But she had been patient, and had tried to quell her curiosity, but to no avail. And that is why she was here now. Sneaking into Oliver's room while he was with Walter and their mom at a press conference announcing his intention to work under Walter Steele.

 

She tiptoed all the way till she reached his bedroom door even though she knew that the house was empty. She turned the door knob slowly and winced at the slight _creek_ they made as she pushed open the door. For a split second, she saw someone duck under her brother's oak desk, and immediately her guard tightened,

 

“Who's there? Show yourself or I’m calling security.” She threatened. A moment later, Tommy's face appeared from the other side of the desk,

 

“Speedy. Oh thank God, I thought Ollie had come back for some reason.” Thea blinked, confused.

 

“Tommy? What are you doing here?”

 

“The same thing as you I'm guessing…” He sighed, “I know it's not the right thing to do, but we both know Ollie's hiding something. I intend to find out what.”

 

Thea regarded Tommy quietly for a moment. The other man's usual jolly disposition was nowhere to be seen at the moment, and she knew he was being serious.

 

Thea nodded in agreement,

 

“I saw his scars today. And I know I'm not an expert or anything, but even I can tell that those are not injuries that one acquires by defending himself against the inhabitability of an island. Ollie's lying.”

 

“I've heard him talk to people on the phone whom I don't know and have never heard of… And I know that doesn't necessarily mean anything but before the island, Ollie and I knew all the same people. It doesn't make sense for him to suddenly know all these new people. Especially since the first phone call was the day after he returned.”

 

Thea was silent for a moment. She didn't know what to think,

 

“You think Ollie might have started a whole new life somewhere else before coming back home?”

 

“Well, he certainly has a girlfriend of some kind from somewhere.”

 

For a moment, Thea's mind flashed to back when she had seen her brother shirtless. The chain hanging around his neck hadn't meant anything to her then. But as she recalls the scene again now, she can easily picture the golden band hanging from it. She had thought of it as an odd piece of accessory then, but what if…

 

“Maybe it's not a girlfriend.” She started hesitantly, her eyes wide as they met Tommy's. She didn't know how exactly she felt about the conclusion she had reached for herself, but the feeling in her tummy certainly wasn't good, “Do you think maybe Oliver has a wife that no one knows about.”

 

Tommy looked at her as if she was crazy. Yes, the text message he had peeked at had mentioned a ‘wifey’, but he hadn’t for a second taken it literally,

 

“Speedy, there is no way Ollie got married without any of us knowing about it, and is now hiding his wife.” Even the sentence sounded completely ridiculous,

 

“Oh come on Tommy, I know he’s my brother and your best friend, but you and I both agree that he’s not the same man that he was before the gambit sank.”

 

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean that he has a whole another family!” Tommy refused to speculate about his best friend’s oddness. His overactive imagination would lead him to some real crazy ass places otherwise. “I don’t know what is up with Oliver, and we won’t know anything for sure until we find some proof.”

 

Thea scoffed, “Is that what you’re doing by checking his desk drawer? Don’t bother. The only things he brought back from Hong Kong was a green box that is not even in his room anymore, and his wallet and phone that he keeps on his person at all times.”

 

Even as she was saying this, Tommy pulled the third drawer of the desk open, Oliver’s junk drawer. Or as he had liked to call it, ‘I’m too lazy to make my way all the way to the bin on the opposite side of the room.’ drawer. The space was filled with empty snack wrappers, trashy magazines that were too outdated, scribbled on pieces of paper whenever Oliver had managed to study for more than an hour, and a ...photograph?

 

Tommy flipped it over, an unknown emotion taking over as he stared at a picture of Oliver and Laurel. He remembered that day. It had been the end of their mid semester exams of the first year in college, and the boys had celebrated by getting high. The celebration itself hadn’t lasted very long because Laurel had shown up for a surprise visit, and Ollie and him had spent the next five hours trying to act as if their brains weren’t completely gone in a haze of molly.

 

By the look on Ollie’s face in the picture, it was a miracle they had been able to fool Laurel. Tommy sighs as he places the picture back in the drawer. He had been the one to take it. Whatever was going on with Ollie now, Tommy was glad it was keeping his too busy or disinterested to go after Laurel.

>\------|>

Laurel had been bored out of her mind, her father had coerced her into staying home for one day after what had happened the night before, and she had reluctantly agreed because even if she hadn't wanted to admit it to herself, she had been quite shaken.

 

That is how she found herself now, watching the news in satisfaction as the information she had gotten from the vigilante last night was put to good use by her friend Joann as Martin Somers got arrested for smuggling and aiding and abetting a known murderer.

 

She was just about to change the channel when another breaking news hit the Channel 5 news. She watched, fascinated as Walter Steele took his spot in front of the podium right outside the Queen Consolidated building and announced,

 

“Thank you everyone, for being present for this momentous occasion, as Queen Consolidated welcomes back it’s sole heir Oliver Queen to his rightful place in the company. Oliver will continue the legacy of his late father, Robert Queen and join us to help guide this company towards a brighter future.” Walter spoke, and then stopped for a bit of a dramatic pause, “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Oliver Queen.”

 

The flashes increased tenfold as Oliver himself stepped forward to where he had been standing at the back with his mother. The nerves hit him unexpectedly, but he had practised what he had wanted to say in front of the mirror just this morning with Felicity giving her feedback and commentary and being supportive on the phone. He didn’t want to screw this up. This was his name. His father’s name. All Oliver’s ever wanted to do was honor him.

 

“Good morning.” Oliver started. He huffed nervously, shook his head and continued with a cleared throat, “As you all probably know, I recently came back from five years away on an island. Lost my father, and was the lone survivor of a storm drowning our boat. I… if my time away ever taught me anything, it was that life, was precious. And that to honor all those people I lost that day on the boat, including my father, I had to survive. So, that’s what I did. I learned to survive, and I came back to my family.” He turned back to look at where his mother was observing him with wet eyes, “Queen Consolidated has been a part of my family ever since I was born. Queen Consolidated is _my_ family.” He turned back to the camera, dialed up the charm to maximum capacity, “And I can’t wait to be a part of it.”

 

Laurel was stunned, and was barely taking in the questions that were being asked by the tens of reporters and the answers that Oliver was giving them confidently, with an easy smile. She hadn't expected him to take his responsibilities so seriously so soon. It surprised her, though it was definitely a good surprise. With all these actions in the past few days, with Oliver apologizing for his actions, taking responsibility, and now, helping run his family's company, it almost felt like he was going out of his way to make people see, make Laurel see, that he had changed.

 

Laurel wasn't exactly very sure what would happen between her and Oliver in the future, especially considering this… _thing_ with Tommy, but she found herself slowly gravitating towards him, just like she did before. Only, this time it felt like he was moving towards her too, and maybe this time they'll manage to meet somewhere in the middle.

 

Maybe this time, they'll be able to make it last.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well well well, It looks like Thea has started to get suspicious too. I wonder what these two Merlyn kids will dig up all on their own...
> 
> I know that I kinda made Thea a lot more likeable? but I like to think that maybe if Oliver had tried to spend some time with her when he came back, she would've understood his close-lipped attitude a bit more, because it wouldn't make her think that he was avoiding her specifically. Not, that any of it was his fault. Poor baby didn't have Felicity then to make him see the better parts of himself.
> 
> So, Oliver's at QC. That's a big canon shift. Huh, I wonder what will happen to Verdant?
> 
> Also, also, some typical indecisive Laurel for you guys. Only this time, there's like 'three' guys to choose from? God, it's painful to write about how smitten Tommy is with Laurel while at the same time write Laurel not even thinking about Tommy. But, it WILL all be worth it soon, you guys! I'm gonna make sure Tommy gets the fucking best, cause he bloody well deserves it.
> 
> Also, did we just make 'TOMMY MERLYN DESEVES BETTER' a thing? Cause I think we did. I got a couple of DMs from you guys last week, and all of you signed of with that phrase. I love that. Keep it up!!
> 
> P.S. To see when I upload and if you just wanna talk, hit me up on Twitter @in_enochian . We'll have fun :)
> 
> P.P.S The Chapter name is from 'Too Good At Goodbyes' from Sam Smith (he makes me so emo). Before any of you think it's about lauliver, it's not. It's about Oliver not being able to properly open up to his sister because he's scared of how she'll react.


	6. You Are My Only Virtue (And I'm Virtually Yours)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep starting these notes with thanking you guys for your amazing feedback, and somehow it ends up getting better and better. I honestly never expected it to become this big, but I'm so glad so many of you liked it so much.
> 
> I've got a few comments telling me how ASABS and Arrow season 7 are some people's highlight of mondays and how I've made their start of the week a bit more tolerable, and oh god, you guys really don't understand how much that means to me!! I know this is fiction, but to be able to affect someone's life like that? It's amazing to me.
> 
> On a more lighter note, a special mention to @i-greece (iop), @Olicityfn and @KK1986, because out of all the women in arrowverse, I never exepcted you guys to vote Carrie Cutter! That made me do this little laugh-cringe thing, and intrigued me enough that I gave it some thought...
> 
> Also, I know a lot of people well kinda peeved with Tommy and Thea's attitude towards Oliver's secrecy, but you guys gotta remember that these two are some of the richest people in town and were born with platinum spoons in their mouths. Of course they think they deserve to know. They think they're entitled to whatever they want.
> 
> Also, I guess I see why Laurel might come off sort of cupid-ish in this fic, but I'm not really trying to write her as someone delusional. I just think that season 1 laurel knew that she was Ollie's only serious relationship, and that gave her this sort of confidence in their 'mutual' feelings for eachother that it didn't really even occur to her that maybe Oliver could move on.
> 
> Anyway, I know you guys are going to like this chapter, and I hope we can beat the feedback from last update because THINGS ARE HAPPENING!!!
> 
> Happy Readin!

Tommy woke up to the sound of the TV playing in the bedroom. He groaned softly, and turned to his left to see Laurel sprawled on the right side of her bed, a cup of coffee in her hands, and the news channel playing softly. He smiled to himself. This was the perfect way to wake up. Naked and next to the woman that he loved, who was also naked. He sighed contentedly and turned to the screen to see exactly what was on the news,

 

It was Ollie. It had been a week, and the news channels were still playing his ‘inspirational’ speech every now and then. Tommy had to admit, he had been surprised when Oliver had first told him about joining with Walter at the office, but he had seen with his own two eyes how serious he had been all through last week, and now he was nothing but proud.

 

“You know, I was very surprised when I saw the news about Ollie joining his family company.” Laurel said aloud, her eyes still on the screen where Ollie was giving his speech, “It just goes further to prove how much he’s changed after all these years. How much better and more responsible he’s become.”

 

Tommy turned to look at Laurel again, his brow furrowed,

 

“Well, good morning to you too, sweetheart.” Laurel rolled her eyes, laughing as she turned to Tommy,

 

“I’m serious. It’s very admirable that he’s taking responsibility, doing what he can to be a part of his family legacy, and maybe leave his own mark at the company.” 

 

“So, what you are saying is that you’d be more impressed with me if I started working in my father’s company?” Laurel huffed,

 

“Tommy, I never said anything even close to that. You don’t have to impress me, or do things that you think that I’ll like. We’re not in a relationship. This is purely-”

 

“You know, you say that, but yesterday, I came over with Italian take out, which we then proceeded to eat in plates on your dining table, with a candle in the middle while Frank Sinatra played in the background. That sounds an awful lot like a date to me.”

 

Laurel was silent at that. She supposes that the situation had been a bit more date-like than she had imagined, but it certainly didn't mean anything. Laurel cared about Tommy, but other than being a good friend who Laurel needed to depend on when she felt like she had lost her whole world to one damned boat, she didn't feel anything more for him. She sighed, this was getting more tiring than enjoyable lately, 

 

“Look Tommy, I need to go to work.” She said as she got up, not bothering to cover herself as she took her mug of coffee to the bathroom, “Can we please not do this again.”

 

“Fine.” Tommy grinned at her retreating form, even as he found it harder to swallow than usual at the look on Laurel’s face when she had been watching Oliver’s interview, He just had to be persistent. Sooner or later, she will see that he’ll treat her much better than Oliver ever did, “But, I'm not giving up, Laurel.”

 

Laurel smiled into her mug even as she heard Tommy get out from the bed and start dressing. The whole situation might be getting a bit tiring, and Oliver’s reappearance had certainly made things more complicated, but it always felt good to know that you’re wanted.

 

>\-------|>

 

Thea should be at school right now. She was in her uniform, her backpack slung over her shoulder, though maybe calling it a backpack was a bit of a stretch. It was more of a...mini purse? It wasn't exactly practical for school, but it certainly was very stylish. So, what if she couldn't really fit her homework in it? At least she looked good when she marched out of class and into detention. But, all of that was besides the point. Because, Thea was supposed to be at school, but instead, she was in her brother’s corner office, staring at his phone that sat innocently on his desk, whilst he chatted with Walter at the other end of the room.

 

There was no way she could sneak it past her brother, but the temptation was still there. Her hands itched towards it, and slowly, instead of grabbing it, she just gently nudged it in her direction so that the power switch was in her reach. She held her breath and looked over at her brother one last time, he was still engrossed between concentrating on the file in his hand and listening to whatever Walter was telling him. Thea looked back at the phone, but before she could think about switching it on, it started ringing. Thea jumped in surprise and the conversation going on behind her paused. Inconspicuously, she took a peek at the screen, her heart racing at the Caller id which read: Felicity <3 with a heart eyes emoji and a sparkle emoji. Thea would've laughed at her brother’s cheesiness if she had any idea who this woman was. As it was, Thea didn't know what to think. Somehow, she needed to get a hold of his phone without him finding out. And for that to happen, she needed a distraction. It was becoming abundantly clear that neither her or Tommy could do this alone. They will have to partner up.

 

In a moment of the phone ringing, Oliver was in front of her, strategically hiding her view from the screen even as he eagerly picked up his phone,

 

“Hey.” Oliver said, his voice soft.

 

“Hey. Are you free?” Felicity spoke on the other line, something almost borderline excited in her voice.

 

“Of course.” He turned to Walter and Thea, smiling tightly, signalling that they would not only continue their conversation on quarterly reports later, but also add the discussion on as to why his sister wasn't at school to the list.

 

“Good. Cause here I am, at four seasons, Hoping against all hope that my husband would give me a tour of his home town.”

 

Oliver froze. One foot out the door of his own office.

 

“You’re here?” He breathed out, incredulous. She hadn't said anything about when she was coming, and after not being able to be in the same space as her in the past couple of months, Oliver was feeling slightly overwhelmed at the prospect of touching his wife again.

 

“Yeah.” Felicity murmured softly, “Surprise, honey.”

 

Oliver grinned, wide. And resumed his walked, steps fast paced, as if he hadn't just acted weirdly by suddenly stopping at the threshold of his office. Thea and Walter watched him go with matching bemused expressions on their faces,

 

“Four seasons? Give me ten minutes.”

 

>\--------|>

 

Felicity was bouncing on her toes as she waited outside the hotel for her husband. She had tried to pass time on her phone, but she had been unable to concentrate on anything else ever since she had heard him on the phone making his way to her. She was equal parts excited and nervous. On one hand, she couldn't be more happy to finally see Oliver again. They had only been able to talk through a secured channel for the past month, and video calling had been out of question. Nervous because well, this situation wasn't exactly ideal either. Yes, they will be together again, but it wasn't like anybody could know that they were married, and it’s not like Oliver was flying on the down low by not only being a lone survivor of a ship wreck that took place five years ago, but also by working in a leadership position in a fortune 500 company.

 

Felicity took a deep breath, really this was just her over thinking things like she was prone to. But, it had made time pass by faster, and she looked up at the sound of a motorbike running down the street. Almost immediately, the vehicle stopped in front of her with a screech, and the rider jumped off, taking of his helmet while at the same time running towards her. Felicity was met by Oliver’s grinning face, and suddenly, there was nothing to be nervous about. Her and Oliver were the strongest couple she knew, and if they could make it through his stint in the Russian Mafia, and their months long separation, this was going to be a piece of cake,

 

“I can’t believe you’re here!” Oliver breathed out whilst simultaneously folding her up in his arms. She held on to him just as tight, taking in everything she had been missing for so long. They had had barely a day together after Oliver came back from Russia before he had to go to Starling, but now he was here, and so was she, and neither of them had anywhere else to be but at each other’s side for the foreseeable future.

 

“I missed you.” She mumbled into his shoulder, and he pulled back with one last squeeze, looking at her with a trembling smile and watery eyes,

 

“I love you so much.” He said before cradling her face in his hands, and pulling her closer. She followed happily, a content sigh escaping as their mouths met.

 

It was like coming home.

 

>\---------|>

 

Oliver doesn't let his wife’s hand go as they stroll through the streets of Starling. He had parked his bike back in the underground parking of four seasons, shut his cell phone off after texting his EA to cancel all his meetings for the day (it’s good he’s not actually the CEO yet) and had promptly taken Felicity’s hand in his to do what she had asked him to,

 

Show her around his home town.

 

Currently, they were just strolling around town, Oliver pointing out random places while she hugged his arm and leaned in to hear him talk better despite the crowd. Oliver has missed this, the feeling of her smaller body against his, her laugh muffled into his shoulder. She presses kisses to his arm where she knows his tattoo for her is, and Oliver basks in all the affection he’s being freely given by the woman he loves.

 

“I'm presuming you’re done with this super-secret assignment Waller had you on?”

 

Felicity rolls her eyes at the slight petulance in his tone, “You know, I'm almost seventy percent sure that the only reason Waller even gave made this assignment a top secret was to just piss you off.”

 

“Oh yeah? Then you wouldn't mind telling me what it is that you did for her?”

 

“Of course not.” Felicity stopped where she was walking, hands still wrapped around his arm as she hooked her chin on his shoulder, her entire body bursting with excitement, “Actually, it was the coolest thing I've done so far! And you know I've done some really cool things.”

 

“I do know that.” Oliver replies indulgently, he loves seeing her like this. So excited and happy, and knowing that he has some part to play in that happiness, well that is the greatest gift of all. He turns so that he’s facing her, his arms around her as she leans back into them, trusting him to carry her weight, “So, what did you do?” Felicity bites her lower lip. 

 

“I made my very own JARVIS.”

 

“What?” He frowns.

 

“It’s an Iron Man thing. A movie that you should definitely watch BTW. Basically, JARVIS is an artificial intelligence that Tony Stark created. It can respond to a users thoughts and emotions, not to mention, it has access to an unlimited amount of resources, devices and programs, to help the organisation with whatever they need now that I'm leaving.”

 

Oliver’s brows have reached his hairline by the end of her explanation. His wife never fails to impress him by how intricately her mind works, and though he’s is always in awe of her, Felicity’s intelligence stopped surprising him years ago just because of how much he expects of her. This though, this takes him back to their first few missions, and how she always managed to make him speechless with her impeccable skills in everything technology,

 

“And you… you made your own... JARVIS?”

 

“Well, technically, her name is MAYA, but pretty much yeah.” She’s trying to feign nonchalance in an attempt to look cool, but she’s failing miserably because for the life of her, she can’t stop vibrating with all this excitement coursing through her. It makes Oliver laugh,

 

“Honey,” He says in between chuckles and pulls her closer, “That’s incredible.” She kisses him with a happy hum, and Oliver decides that there have been too many good things today to not celebrate. He pulls back, 

 

“You know what we should do? We should have a date night. I'm already in a suit, you look absolutely perfect, I’ll cook. It’ll be just like old times. It’s been so long since we've had a night to enjoy just the two of us without having to think about anything else.”

 

Felicity grins coquettishly at him, “Well, my suite does have a kitchenette.” she says while playing with his collar.

 

He smiles wide, “Yeah?” She nods,

 

“It also has a bed.” He groans,

 

“You’re killing me here, Felicity.” He pulls away abruptly, grabbing her hand before changing directions, a new destination on his mind, “Come on, honey. We’re going Whole Foods.”

 

If Oliver was the kind of guy to get a skip in his steps whenever he was happy, he would be skipping all over the place right about now. As it is, his steps, though completely basic, have a new determination in them that makes Felicity have to pinch her lips close so that she doesn't outright laugh at his eagerness.

 

Her husband is a puppy. It’s adorable.

  
  


Felicity doesn't think she’s ever been grocery shopping with Oliver before. Back at ARGUS, the food had been solely Oliver’s domain, a smart decision on his part when he saw her burn a piece of toast in a toaster. But now she sees him in another one of his elements. Watches him as he reads the Nutritional Information diligently before placing items in the basket, he’s always been a bit too adamant when it comes to her health, and Felicity had learned early in their relationship that if she ever wanted to be able to eat another packet of chips again without facing his puppy-dog eyes, she was going to have to keep her stash of snacks in her office. It’s not like Oliver doesn't know about them. She’s sure he somehow does, she has never been able to hide anything from him. Maybe Jerry had told him about them, that man looks up to Oliver so much; but this way, Oliver can pretend he doesn't see it, and Felicity never brings ‘those abhorrent heart attack waiting to happen’ delicious goodness in their apartment.

 

Compromise. That’s what marriage is all about.

 

Even now, as they walk down the aisle, Oliver grabbing ingredients that look pretty much random to her, but is sure under Oliver’s expertise will soon turn into a luxury meal, there’s always a part of them touching. It has been ever since they reunited. Either he’s got an arm over her shoulder, or she’s linked her arm in his. It’s domestic in a way they've never been before, and by the smile that Oliver can’t quite suppress on his face, she can tell both of them are enjoying this tiny glimpse of a new life that they’re trying to build for themselves.

 

The walk back to the hotel is lit by sunset, and Felicity yawns as she leans on her husband, his arm wrapping around her waist and pulling her closer. 

 

“How long will you be staying at four seasons?” Oliver asks her softly, not wanting to break the peace they've created around each other.

 

“Hmm… I was going to start looking for apartments tomorrow.” She tells him, “I would appreciate it if you’d come with me, but I know how busy you are with QC these days.”

 

“Felicity, I'm never too busy for you.” She knew he was going to say that, doesn't mean she doesn't like to hear it. He pauses before continuing, “But maybe, instead of apartments we could look at town houses instead?”

 

Felicity frowns, opens her mouth but he continues before she can say something herself,

 

“I mean, I know we need to be in the city right now, and we can’t really look for a place in the suburbia whilst I'm still you know, doing that during my nights, but… a town house just feels a bit more… domestic? Than an apartment?” He speaks softly, and Felicity smiles at his nervousness, she doesn't know when Oliver will begin to realise that she’s not going to get scared and run away whenever he wants to take another step in their relationship, but it’s the one thing she’s content with trying to prove for the rest of their lives,

 

“Sure. A town house sounds really fun.”

 

She unlocks her suite and pushes the door open, haphazardly tossing her heels behind her in the passageway as she walks over to the fridge only to hear Oliver sigh behind her in exasperation as he bends down to right her shoes and remove his neatly next to hers. Felicity is a slob. Her husband is a neat-freak. To placate him, she deliberately places her coat in a hanger over her closet. And in return, he doesn't berate her for the state her make-up and hair products are on the dresser.

 

Compromise. They can do it.

 

The dinner that night is quiet. Felicity sets the table and dims the lights, as Oliver serves Shrimp Scampi with red wine that she hadn't seen him pick up from the store. The nostalgia hits her full force as they sit down to eat, playing footsie under the table and talking about what the other has missed in the past month or so. Felicity is so excited, because this isn't temporary this time. Tomorrow, they will go look at places together, a house that is their own, and they’ll debate colours and furniture--

 

“Have you thought about what you’ll do in Starling?” Oliver asks her, and Felicity nods eagerly,

 

“Back in college, after I had finally convinced my dad to leave me alone, it had been a dream of mine to own my own company. So, that’s what I'm going to do now. I have enough funds from ARGUS so that I can independently start my own… start-up.”

 

Just as she had predicted, her husband looks nothing but proud. Felicity loves how supportive Oliver is of her more ambitious side. She’s smart, and knows how to take care of herself, and the last thing she would've wanted was a partner who would stifle her drive to become better. Oliver just lets her run wild, and only ever interferes when her projects start taking a toll on her health. He’s sort of wonderful in that way. He’s sort of wonderful in a million different ways.

 

“Felicity… That’s amazing. I know you’re going to do great.”

 

The rest of dinner is spent discussing their current status. They can’t very well announce into the world that they’re married, but they don’t see a point in hiding their relationship either. So, publicly, they’re together, and when Oliver is finally done with the list, they’ll have a ceremony and get ‘married’ for ‘real’. It changes nothing presently, though. Oliver still plans on talking to his mother and Thea about moving out. And he and Felicity will still go out on dates in public. There is no way Oliver is keeping his wife a secret. He thinks it might just be physically impossible for him to keep his hands to himself.

 

There’s not much talking after dinner. Once the table’s cleared and the dishes cleaned, they gravitate towards the couch with the rest of the wine, though there isn't much drinking involved either.

 

Oliver chuckles against Felicity’s mouth when he hears her squeak after he bites her lip. It’s stained red with wine and her lipstick, and swollen from all the kisses they've been sharing since they saw each other. His hands slowly travel down her pale blue floral print summer dress. It’s one of her more modest pieces of clothing (It’s impossible to know who loves the cut-outs in Felicity’s dress more, her or Oliver), but it’s just as tantalizing to him. His hands roam higher on her legs, and she hmms appreciatively before suddenly moving so that she’s straddling his waist. Her fingers brush over his hair, scratching his scalp until he growls and stands up abruptly, moving towards the bedroom.

  


It’s been too long, and phone sex, no matter how amazing, can only do so much.

 

>\-------|>

 

Felicity wakes up to the smell of pancakes and coffee. She smiles into her pillow even as she realizes how long it has been since she woke up to breakfast in bed. As if on cue, she feels a scratchy kiss on her shoulder. She hmms, finally content in what feels like forever. Last night had been… long and satisfying, and Felicity would've thought it was all just a dream except for the fact that everything had just felt so real,

 

“Come on, sleepy head. Wake up, we've got a long day ahead of us.” Felicity frowns at that, squints her eyes open till she can vaguely see the blur that is Oliver,

 

“You have to go to the office?” Oliver stretches over to the bedside table to grab her glasses, delicately placing them on the bridge of her nose so that she can clearly see his apologetic smile,

 

“Not until later in the afternoon, but I do. I promise I’ll finish early though, and make reservations at Table Salt for dinner.”

 

She smiles back even as she pulls herself up till that they’re sitting across each other with a tray of pancakes and two cups of coffee in between them,

 

“You know, if we weren't already, this would be around when I would ask you to marry me.” Felicity sighed, only slightly lovesick. It makes Oliver chuckle, 

 

“Well, you could ask again. My answer will be the same every time.” Felicity straightens up, suddenly mischievous, and leans over the tray till her and Oliver are face to face, meagre inches separating their lips,

 

“Oliver Jonas Queen,” She starts with a theatrically hushed whisper. Oliver’s eyes glimmer with amusement even as he prompts her to continue with a hmm, “Will you make me,” She pecks his lips, repeating the same words that he had used to ask her to spend the rest of her life with him, “the happiest woman, on the face of this earth?”

 

Oliver sighs happily. He feels as light as a feather even as he pulls Felicity in a far deeper kiss, being careful not to disturb the tray. He doesn't know how she does that. Makes him forget about everything even remotely sucky that has ever happened to him till there’s just two people who exist only to love one another,

 

“Yes.” He mumbles against her lips, nips them when he feels them stretch in a smile, “It’s always going to be a yes.”

 

Breakfast is a peaceful affair, it’s been their favourite part of the day ever since they’d started dating. Oliver loves the way the natural light from the wide open windows always make Felicity glow. Felicity loves how light and unburdened Oliver looks in their little cocoon of early morning hours, before all the worldly responsibilities fall on him again. Oliver switches on the TV when Felicity leaves to dump all the dishes in the sink, and has almost fallen into another nap when the news catches his attention,

 

JAMES HOLDER FOUND DEAD LAST NIGHT AT HIS PENTHOUSE the headline says, and Oliver hastily unmutes the channel,

 

“James Holder, The owner of Holder Group, an organisation set on building low income housing in the Glades was found dead just this morning in the pool at his penthouse. There were no eyewitnesses present, but our sources say that Holder was killed by a bullet--”

 

“James Holder… That name’s on the list isn't it?” Oliver swivels his head to see Felicity worryingly looking over at the TV screen, chewing on her lower lip. But, there is also determination in her eyes. It doesn't matter if James Holder was on the list, Oliver still needs to find who killed this guy, and why. 

 

“Yeah he is.” He replies, and takes a bracing breath, “It seems like we've got some work to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @CaptainSammyAngel asked till where exactly have I planned this, and the answer is, for now, it's a season 1 rewrite, but depending on how many changes I make through out this work, we'll see if a season 2 re-write is in the books. As much as I love writing this universe, I don't want to drag it out either, so we'll see.
> 
> @A_Literary_Fan your comment made me feel like I'm providing people with a kind of space? Like a safe place with like minded people who share their hatred for Laurel and love for Tommy. I feel like all of us should just make a one gigantic group chat and bond over arrow, but that just might be the loner in me talking.
> 
> ANYWAYSSSSS
> 
> 'LICITY IS BACK BABYYYYY!! Are we excited?! Cause I'm so pumped! Things are starting out! Arrow 1x03 is one of the most important episodes ever, not only because does it introduce Felicity, but also because it's when Digg finds out about Oliver being the arrow.
> 
> Also, SMOAK TECH. That's right. I've waited 6 years for this company, and since the writers are still dragging it out, I've decided to make Felicity a CEO now. We stan a power-couple!!
> 
> Question: If you had to choose, who would you have working with Felicity on her company? A. Curtis B. Alena C. Somebody New
> 
> Question: How do you guys feel about characters from outside arrowverse making brief apprearences in-between chapters? Cause, let me tell you, I got some mad ideas!!
> 
> That's it for now. I hope you liked the new chapter. For more fluff, check out my new Buzzfeed one-shot AU or the post-7x02 episode compliant ficlet! 
> 
> Also, follow me on twitter @in_enochian to get notified whenever I update or write a new fic! or even if you just want to talk :) :) :) :)


	7. She Taught Me Love (She Taught Me Patience)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter name is from the song- Thank U Next By Ariana Grande. If you haven't heard it yet? What are you doing? Also, Do you live under a rock? Cause my queen killed it with that single.
> 
> Also, Thank you so much for the amazing feedback. I knew you guys would love Felicity coming back! Fortunately for you guess, this chapter ALSO has a major plot change which I'm pretty sure none of you would've guessed! :) :) Keep giving me feedback (it feeds my soul)
> 
> For those of y'all wondering if Laurel will ever leave, she probably will not. I mean, she definitely won't be getting as much screen time as she did in the s1 of arrow, but I love writing in her POV too much (I can make her sound as petty or jealous as I want. It's amazing, and probably an abuse of my writer's power, but in my biased opinion, she sounds just like that, so there.)
> 
> I love how important this fic has become to y'all. Yours comments make me smile so hard (though maybe work takes priority? But then again, who am I to judge? I wrote the last chapter the night before my JAVA finals... :P)
> 
> Also, I don't really want to get ahead of myself here, but if any of you guys want to make an edit or a moodboard, go ahead and send it to me :) :)
> 
> HAPPY READING!!

Felicity’s first reaction at seeing the foundry is a scowl. She takes in the dripping pipes and the dank basement with mild disgust,

 

“You do know about this invention called ‘electricity’ right?” She asks Oliver in regards of the lack of lighting in the basement. The only thing that seemed to be powered was the computer system setup that sat proudly in the middle of the area, surrounded by training mats, exercise equipment, and weapons, including but not limited to Oliver’s special self-made arrows,

 

“It’s much harder to make a basement of a supposedly abandoned factory habitable than you’d think, honey. The last thing I want is to bring unnecessary attention to this place.” Felicity concedes to that point,

 

“Speaking of which, have you ever thought about what you’d say if someone were to see you here?” Oliver grimace,

 

“Not yet. I’m working on it though.” Felicity sat in front of the computer system set up, absent-mindedly adjusting the settings on the desk chair. Oliver said nothing, just smiled softly as she made herself comfortable. There. The space in front of and surrounding the computer screens was hers to rule, and she seemed to be taking over the throne almost subconsciously. “The system is much better that what I had expected,” Felicity told him, looking back up at him with a goofy smile on her face, “Guess you do listen to me when I talk tech.”

 

“Always.” Oliver replied, smiling just as big. Felicity turned back to the screen, and Oliver, knowing that his hovering usually made her anxious, quietly dragged the stool from near one of the steel tables where he had been making his arrows, and brought it over so that he could sit next to Felicity,

 

“I hacked the Starling General hospital admittance records.”Felicity told him after a few moments, “Holder was brought in last night around 2. Two bullets to his chest.”

Oliver deflated,

 

“That’s a fairly common MO. I don’t know how we would even start searching for a suspect.” 

 

“Oh no, this is where it gets interesting. He did get shot twice in the chest, but cause of death is recorded poison by the coroner.” Oliver’s brow furrowed,

 

“Poison?”

 

“Yeah.” Felicity typed some more, her excitement at a breakthrough making her type a little harder, “According to the M.E, his blood contained strychnos toxifera. It’s the chemical composition for a poison called ‘Curare’.”

 

“And you think you can find the person who uses ‘Curare’ as their MO?”

 

“Way ahead of you, love.” Felicity tilted the screen towards him proudly, “The ARGUS database has records on a ‘Deadshot’. Real name, Floyd Lawton. A professional hitman who uses bullets coated with curare.”

 

“Do you have any idea how I’ll be able to find him?”

 

“Well, the profile says he’s a sniper, and since Holder was killed on his pent-house roof, there is a high possibility that deadshot was parked around buildings surrounding the penthouse. I could narrow it down to a few by cross-referencing all residential living quarters with all the check-in and outs and--”

 

“What about the weapon? Can you find out the kind of bullet he used?” He cuts her off before she can go off on a ramble. Usually, Oliver doesn’t mind them, often looks forward to them, but a bullet laced with poison indicates a professional, and he can’t afford to let this guy run free for much longer. Felicity seems to understand that and nods quickly,

 

“Oh yeah. That’ll be much easier. Just need to get into the SCPD records…” Felicity mumbles, her fingers typing relentlessly on the keyboard, and Oliver sighs, because he has missed this. Just basking in her presence as she works on whatever assignment they are given. Now, they are their own boss. They don’t have to do things they don’t want to. Don’t have to protect each other from the demons that try to drag them into the darkness. Now, they can do good, and can start making amends for every life they’ve hurt to save the other’s.

 

“It’s a 7.62 millimeter round bullet.” Felicity said, she turned to look at Oliver with a small worried frown, “The money trail leads back to the Bratva.”

 

“Hey,” Oliver stops her right there. Felicity’s overactive imagination can sometimes lead her down the road of extreme-worry, “This is a good thing. I’m still technically a captain. I’ll go talk to the Bratva in the city and find out where I can find this guy. It’ll be fine.”

 

Felicity took a deep breath, and then sighed slowly, “Okay. But, please be careful.”

 

Oliver smiled down at her, having stood up, and squeezed her shoulder, “Of course. Always.”

 

Felicity nodded back, “Okay. Till you’re gone, I’m gonna see if I can get myself a work place of sorts for the start-up.”

 

Oliver held her face in his hands, grinning as he smooshed her cheeks, “You’re going to be so amazing, honey.” He pecked her forehead, “Please don’t forget to eat. I’ll have to go to the office right after, but we’ll have dinner together, okay?”

 

>\-------|>

 

Oliver looked up from where he had been going through the marketing reports for the past two hours. He had talked to the bratva, and was now just waiting for them to call back, in the meantime, he saw Thea standing outside his office, a paper bag in hand and a smile on her face,

 

“I have to say, when you agreed to take up a position in the company, I never thought your seriousness would last this long.” She stepped in, “Oliver Queen, businessman. It’s a good look on you.” Oliver leaned back in his chair, looking at his sister, exasperated,

 

“Thea, why are you aren’t at school? And I’ve not forgotten that you didn’t go yesterday either.”

 

“Speaking of, where did you run off to yesterday? You didn’t come home last night.” Oliver narrowed his eyes,

 

“Don’t change the subject.”

 

“I’m not. I’m very curious. It’s not really like the new you to take off in the middle of office hours.” Oliver sighed, annoyed,

 

“Okay. Answer me first and then I’ll tell you about mine.” Thea thought about that for a second, then agreed with a sigh, coming over to sit from across to where he sat, dropping the paper take-out bag on the desk. Oliver shifted it so that the take-out wasn’t sitting on any of the dozens of documents currently spread around his desk,

 

“I… I heard what you said that day at the club-”

 

“About me loving you?” Oliver cut her off, “Because that’s not news, Speedy.” Thea smiled shyly at him,

 

“No, not that. Though, that was good to hear too.” She took a bracing breath, “It was when you said that I am the purest part of you. When you said you weren’t disappointed?”

 

“What about it, Thea?” Oliver’s eyes were just as soft as his voice, and Thea relaxed further,

 

“For these past years, when you and dead were gone, and mom had stopped acting even remotely mom-ly, I… I started acting like a bitch. Drinking frequently, skipping school…”

 

“You were acting just like me, Thea. But, I’m the worst role model to follow.” Thea shrugged,

 

“Maybe then. But, I see you now. Struggling with your workload at the company but not giving up, making time for me. Yes, you very rarely come home, and you go clubbing with Tommy, but you also make mom so happy, and Walter so proud…” Thea looked at him in the eye, speaking seriously, “I know you don’t see me as the disappointment, but I don’t want to become one either.”

 

Oliver looked her over, touched but confused, “Shouldn’t the solution to that be, I don’t know, going to school.” Thea blushed,

 

“Yeah… about that, I kind of have a reputation by now… and like you said before, I used to hang out with the wrong people.” She looked away, “Sometimes, sometimes it’s easier to just not face that.”

 

“Oh.” Oliver got up, walking over to where Thea was sitting, and crouched so that they were eye-level, “Hey, I get it. How difficult it can be to change people’s perception of you.”

 

Thea smiled shallowly, “Yeah, I suppose you’d know a thing or to about that.” Oliver smiled back,

 

“I do. That’s why I also know that what you’re doing right now, trying to be better, when everybody expects you to fail, to fall back to your old habits, it’s so brave, Thea. That makes you so brave.” Thea’s eyes welled up at her brother’s words, and she squeezed his hand that was resting on the armrest in her own,

 

“When did you get so good at this? Before the island, you would run away from feelings like your ass was on fire.” Oliver shrugged, smiling at her softly,

 

“I realised that life was short, and that when it comes to the people I love, I don’t want to hold anything back.”

 

Thea laughed, and surged forward to hug him. Tommy was right, her brother was different, but then again, of course he was. After all, when she had thought Ollie dead, Thea herself had changed beyond recognition, so of course Ollie, who probably thought he’d never see anyone he knew ever again, changed in the five years that was away from home.

 

Oliver pulled back, and smiled when his sister discreetly wiped her wet cheeks, “Okay,” She spoke, straightening up, and Oliver took this as a cue to stand up himself. He took the seat next to her as she reached for the take-out bag, “Now, if we’re done with this particular Dr.Phil session, let’s eat while you tell me all about where you were yesterday.”

 

Oliver groaned, sure she had forgotten all about it, but Thea just smirked in return,

 

“Okay, okay, I’ll tell you.” Oliver sighed, played with the wrapper of his sub as he thought about his choice of words, “I was on a date.”

 

Thea raised a sceptical eyebrow, “In the middle of the day.” Oliver shrugged, trying to omit and edit his words such that he wasn’t technically lying,

 

“I had been looking forward to it. So, when she called, we made it an all-day thing.”

 

“Uh-huh?” Thea was suspicious, she remembered the ring he wore around his neck, she could still see the stainless steel of the chain poking a little above his opened collar, and Tommy had been sure Ollie at least had a girlfriend, “What did you do?” Oliver rolled his eyes,

 

“What does it matter, Thea?” When his sister didn’t let up, Oliver sighed, giving up, “A walk and dinner.”

 

“And what? She put out on the first date?” Oliver raised a brow,

 

“That’s a very inappropriate question, little sister.”

 

“I’m going to take that as a yes. I guess that means that the date went well.”

 

“She’s my girlfriend now, so yes, I would say it went well.” Thea hesitated, if he had a girlfriend, then surely he didn’t have anyone before he came back. But, then again, it’s not like Oliver hasn’t cheated before… but Oliver had also changed quite a lot. Thea just wasn’t sure if her brother’s philandering ways were one of those things.

 

The rest of the lunch was contemplative but comfortable. Both the siblings had changed quite a lot in the missing years, and they knew it was going to take more than just a few lunches and coffee dates to go back to how things were before, how close they were before. But, they both knew that they loved each other, and that was enough make them want to try.

 

>\------|>

 

Laurel supposed it was a bit sad that she was here, buying Thai take-out for one, just to go back to an empty apartment on a friday night. She supposes she could’ve maybe not argued so hard with Joanna about going to Max Fuller’s club when she had wanted to go. But, Laurel did have a few cases she wanted to work on, and she had a box of white wine that had her name on it. Tommy might call her workaholic, but not all of them were born a sole heir to a multi-million fortune, and had to make money if they wanted to spend it. 

 

“#23!” The guy at the counter yelled out, and Laurel walked over to collect her bag. She had been turning around to leave when she heard the bell ring, signalling someone’s arrival, and when she saw who it was, she instinctively hid behind one of those giant plastic plants.

 

Oliver.

 

What was Oliver doing at a cheap Thai place?

 

And who was that blonde with him?

 

They looked comfortable together, Oliver’s arm was wrapped around the woman’s waist as she leaned into his side, talking softly into his ear even as he bend down to listen to her more clearly, wearing a peaceful smile on his lips.

 

They took over one of the booths not far from where Laurel was standing, and Laurel decided her cases could wait a couple of minutes while she tried to figure out what was happening.

 

Clearly, this wasn’t a platonic meeting, but both Oliver and the girl were dressed too casually, in a restaurant too casual to be on a date,

 

“Oh god, I’m starving!” The woman moaned, and Oliver sighed teasingly at her antics,

 

“I remember telling you very clearly to not forget to eat lunch.” He grumbles, and soflty tucks a piece of the woman’s hair behind her ear when she laughs,

 

“You know I keep forgetting when I’m in too deep with something interesting. Speaking of which,” The blonde perked up, “Guess who got an amazing idea for the office space?”

 

Oliver raised a brow, “Yeah? Where?”

 

“The Queen Steel factory.”

 

Oliver blinked, “Feli-”

 

“No, hear me out. The place is abandoned, so it’ll be cheap. I can make that place look amazing with a few renovations, and since we’re ‘dating’ nobody will question you spending a lot of time there.”

 

Laurel frowned, since when did Oliver prefer blondes enough to date them? And why would anybody question his whereabouts?

 

“Honey, as convenient as that would be, I don’t want you to compromise on anything. This has been your dream for so long, the last thing I want for you is to settle just because it would make my live easier.”

 

The blonde scooched forward on the vinyl booth, and was just about to answer when Laurel’s phone started ringing, she jumped, and cursed when the caller id read ‘MERLYN TOMMY’. Neither Oliver or his blonde companion had noticed her, and she sighed in relief even as she picked up the phone,

 

“Tommy?”

 

“Hey.” Tommy spoke on the other line, “You free? I could bring take-out? We could do a movie?”

 

Laurel looked over at where the couple was sitting, still talking but now that Laurel wasn’t really concentrating, she could not hear what they were saying. She hadn’t known Oliver had started going on dates. It left an ashy taste in her mouth. Oliver had been sweet with her, open in a way he hadn’t been before the island, and yes he was distant, but that was understandable after what he had gone through. Maybe he just wasn’t ready for commitment just yet, in which case, she would give him some space. Till then-

 

“Sure. Come over. I bought take-out for two anyway.”

 

>\--------|>

 

“ The last thing I want for you is to settle just because it would make my live easier.” Oliver told her softly, and Felicity sighs, smiling indulgently at him. It’s been years since they started sharing a life together, and yet Oliver always tries to do everything in his power to make her life easier, happier, even if it means sometimes compromising his own comforts. And she loves him for it, she does, but she doesn’t want to build an easy life. She wants to build a real one, and that would mean making sacrifices on both their ends. 

 

She tells him this, and watches amused as he radiates this sudden intense happiness from his tightly held form. Oliver always stops his body from moving when he becomes emotional, thinking that maybe if he doesn’t move, then others won’t notice that he can produce emotions. It had been slightly frustrating at the beginning of their relationship, when she was still figuring out her husband, but it was amusing now, maybe a bit adorable.

 

Sometimes, she forgets that even though they’re married and committed to each other, this life they’ve started to tentatively build is still very new, and that both of them will continue to need reassurances every now and then,

 

“So,” She changes the subject, “I thought you said you had a bodyguard? I’ve been here a little more than a day and I haven’t seen him yet?”

 

Oliver nods, “Yeah. Digg took a sick leave. Apparently, he caught a cold.”

 

“Oh so, we’re calling him Digg now?” Felicity asks him, amused. Oliver rolls his eyes,

 

“It’s just easier that saying ‘John Diggle’ everytime.” He replied. She gave him a patronizing little ‘hmm’ and Oliver mock-growled at her, trying to suppress his smile and failing,

 

“What can I get you folks?” They turned to look at their waitress, a plump woman in her mid-fifties looking at the two of them with a sort of soft maternal look in her eyes,

 

“Hi.” Felicity smiled, “I’ll have the prawn pad-thai, beef for this guy, and a plate of spring rolls and fish cake to share.” The woman turned to the guy, surprised to hear no objections or add-ons from him, but the man simply looked over at the woman and smiled. Quietly smiling herself, the waitress nodded a warm ‘of course’ and walked away, jotting down their order on the way. It was nice, seeing a young couple so in sync with each other.

 

They had only just finished their food when Oliver’s phone rang. His face darkened at the screen, and Felicity placed a hand on his arm,

 

“Who is it?”

 

“Alexi.” Oliver told her, voice serious. The mood around them sombered from the familiar playful intimacy. It was business time. Felicity nodded, and Oliver accepted the call,

 

“Hello.”

 

“My nashli to, chto vy ishchete.” The man spoke on the other side of the line, his voice gruff, “His name is Floyd Lawton.”

 

Oliver nodded at Felicity, and she relaxed minutely, “What else can you tell me about him?”

 

“Only his address. Where he stayed the last time he was in Starling City. But, that’s it.”

 

“Well then, let’s hope he’s a creature of habit. Go.”

 

“1700 Broadway, Papp motel, room 52.”

 

Oliver hung up without a reply, and Felicity, having seen the look on his face, motioned for the bill,

 

“We have an address.” Oliver told his wife, taking out his amex black card as the waitress from before bought the bill wallet. Felicity rolled her eyes at his pretentiousness. No matter how many years he’s spent away from luxury, he still sometimes acts like a complete richboy,

 

“Oliver you don’t need a card for a thirty dollar bill.” She said, taking out the bills herself and placing them inside the bill holder, and shook her head in exasperation when her husband just smiled sheepishly at her. They got up quickly, they had an address now. Even if the lead doesn’t pan out, there were a lot of things Felicity would be able to do with a last-known-address.

 

>\--------|>

 

“You know that I’ll be building us some comm units, don’t you?” Felicity said pacing but trying not to while Oliver changed into his suit. Usually, she liked to think she was quite chill for someone whose husband was going out to fight bad guys with firearms on a regular basis, but usually Felicity had a camera feed, or at least Oliver’s voice in her ear. But, apparently, 1700 broadway street was notoriously famous for its anonymity, so no CCTV cameras anywhere. This computer system wasn’t as advanced as they one she had in ARGUS, so no satellite imaging either (something she was so going to correct as soon as humanly possible). So, Felicity was reduced to doing nothing but waiting till Oliver went after a world-class hitman and pray he came back in one piece.

 

“Hey.” Oliver reassured her, “This is going to be a piece of cake. Trust me. I bet he won’t even be there. I’ll just grab anything that looks even remotely useful and come back. In and out, honey.”

 

A half hour later, Oliver sheepishly places a laptop ridden with bullet holes in front of her. 

 

Felicity swears that if they owned a couch, Oliver would be sleeping on that tonight.

 

As it is, she gives him a stink eye, tries not to melt at his puppy-eyes, and goes to work at the laptop. Luckily, Deadshot only really shot at the screen, so the drive inside is relatively safe. She takes it out, connects it to the desktop, and starts sifting through the gigabytes of data she finds there.

 

“There.” She points out the file to Oliver as she opens it, “It’s a set of blueprints.” 

 

“To what?”

 

“Something called the Exchange building?” Felicity replies,

 

“Oh yeah.” Oliver remembers talking to Walter about this yesterday, “Walter said something about the building. Apparently, it’s where the auction for the Unidac industries is supposed to take place tomorrow.” He frowns, “How did deadshot get his hands on the blueprints anyway?”

 

“The laptop isn’t his. It belongs to a Warren Patel.” Felicity tells him, a moment more of searching reveals that he to is one of the competitors at the auction.

 

The two study the blueprints quietly for a few minutes before Oliver sighs,

 

“There are too many vantage points. I can’t cover all of deadshot’s targets myself.”

 

“Bet you’re missing Harry right about now, huh?”

 

“Please, that guy was a douche.”

 

“Yeah, but he was a good partner. You just don’t like him because he tried to hit on me.”

 

“He knew you were married!” Oliver protested indignantly, making Felicity laugh fondly.

 

“On a more serious note, what are you going to do, as much as I want to help, I don’t know how I’ll fare against deadshot.”

 

“You’re staying far, far away from the field.” Oliver told her firmly, ignoring the way Felicity rolled her eyes, because this was the one scenario where he would never listen to her. She was too important to him. “As for reinforcements, I have an idea.”

 

>\-------|>

 

Lance had never in his life thought that he would be here, surrounded by snobby rich people, trying to protect them while they tried to make even more money. But, he was here, trying his best to keep an eye out for a hitman, just because a vigilante came to him with sufficient evidence. Quinten sighed, and turned around to see Oliver Queen talking to one of the investors, smiling politely. He had heard that the Queen heir was finally taking his responsibility seriously. Personally, Lance wasn’t holding his breath. He was sure that it was just a phase, and soon enough Oliver would be back to sleeping around and drinking till he drops. That boy never deserved his daughter, and yet somehow managed to rope both of them in with his charm. It didn’t end well for either of them, and Lance won’t ever forgive Queen for what he did.

 

Oliver’s head turned, unintentionally, eyes locking with those of the detective. Felicity had hacked into their communication unit, so Oliver knew exactly what was going on with the comm unit that was in his ear. Oliver nodded at Quinten shortly, a sign of both gratitude and respect. Oliver knew how Lance felt about the rich, and he was glad that the detective hadn’t kept his prejudices from affecting his job.

 

“Unit one all clear, unit two you copy?” Lance spoke into his walkie-talkie, and Oliver heard it in his comm. Oliver never would’ve been able to intercept a walkie-talkie frequency by himself, but he supposes that it’s one of the many reasons why Felicity is his better half. He listened to Quinten as he gathered the status of all the units, tensing up further with every confirmation. The auction was about to start. If Floyd Lawton wanted to kill someone, the best way to do it would be before the bidding. He had to be perched somewhere by now… What was Oliver missing?

 

Digg watched closely as his client paced the hallway restlessly. Oliver looked tense, and for the life of him Digg couldn’t figure out why. Silently, he walked over to where Oliver was, clearing his throat to get the other man’s attention, 

 

“You alright, sir?” Oliver made an odd affirming sound, which didn’t really answer anything, but before Digg could prod further, Oliver changed the subject,

 

“You got your eyes open, Digg?” It took a monumental effort on John’s part to not roll his eyes at the question,

 

“It’s why I am here, sir. That, and answering patronizing questions.” Oliver looked like he was going to say something, but stopped abruptly. He seemed to be paying attention somewhere else for a moment, but Diggle couldn’t figure out where,

 

“This guy is out of time. If he’s going to do something, it’s going to happen before the auction.” Oliver spoke abruptly, and Digg tensed at his curt tone. Rich billion playboys weren’t supposed to sound like that. Soldiers sounded like that.

 

“Sir?” Diggle asked apprehensive. Oliver flinched slightly, and Digg wondered why, it’s not like there was anyone else Oliver could’ve been talking to. Oliver turned to Digg with a shallow smile that Digg knew by now was an indicator to when Oliver was about to lie to someone. He had seen it multiple times since he started to work for the man. Had seen Oliver use it against his mother, and sister, and best friend, and that one lady who seemed to want to get Oliver alone and talk to him at every opportunity. He had seen that smile being used against himself multiple times, and it never failed to make him want to punch his charge.

 

“I heard the story on the radio.” He said, and internally, Diggle scoffed. It was a weak ass excuse. And still didn’t justify Oliver’s tense-ness regarding it. After all, the place was crawling with police and all the security it could possibly fit into the building.

 

Diggle was about to try and continue the conversation until he got some useful answers, but in that moment, Walter called Oliver over, wanting to introduce him to some of the bidders that could also become potential investors. Oliver sighed in relief. He had forgotten how difficult it could be to carry on two different conversations at the same time. It was going to take some time to get used to his wife’s voice in his ears again, but that was one thing that Oliver was looking forward to. 

 

“Oliver, I’m so glad you could make it.” Walter told him once they were alone. Oliver smiled. Walter might be a strange edition to the family, but he was a good person. As long as Oliver didn’t think too much about it, he could pretend that Walter was just a business colleague and not his step-father. 

 

“Walter, I would like you to be careful tonight. My mother has already lost one husband-”

 

“That’s not something you need to worry about, Oliver.” Walter smiled, “Moira wouldn’t be here if she shared your concerns, and she certainly wouldn’t have brought your sister.”

 

Oliver’s heart stopped. Thea couldn’t be here. And neither could his mother. Oliver turned to where Walter had motioned, taking in two of the three most important women in his life, and walked over to them briskly, signalling Digg to join him on the way,

 

“Hey.” He spoke softly when he reached them, placing a hand on Thea’s shoulder who smiled at him brightly. She had been just about to speak, but Oliver continued, “I need you two to go with Diggle. It’s not safe here.”

 

But Oliver had only just began speaking when the first shot rang out. Thea screamed, and in his ear, Felicity squeaked from where she had tried to keep quiet so as to not disturb him further. Without further ado, Oliver pushed both his mother and sister towards Digg, ordering the man to take them to safety, and ran out over to the emergency stairs before they could protest further,

 

“Felicity, Talk to me!” He yelled into the comm, and heard Felicity’s fingers loudly typing on the keyboard,

 

“The shots came from the north-east side of the building. Unit five’s position.” She answered frantically, and as quickly as he could, he grabbed the gear he had stashed into one of the garbage bins. He changed as fast as was humanly possible, and ran over to the rooftop of the building,

 

Behind him, Digg climbed the stairs, dread and curiosity mixing inside him in equal measures when he saw a hastily thrown open empty bin. He heard shots being rung out and realised that the fight was taking place in the building across. Cursing, he ran back down, his mind filling with possibilities that were both bizzare and obvious at the same time,

 

Meanwhile, the hood and deadshot fought, dodging and shooting bullets and arrows, neither of them gaining an upper hand or backing down, until Oliver caught Lawton off-guard with close combat against someone who so clearly specialised in long range sniping. Lawton may be a good shot, but he was only an average fighter, and as long as Oliver engaged him with fists, he was going to win.

 

It was only when Oliver had finally managed to knock Lawton out, that he heard a moan behind him. He turned around, eyes widening when he so Diggle leaning against the constructing door frame, a bullet laced with curare wedged into his arm. Oliver ran over, supporting the bigger guy’s frame whilst activating his comm unit,

 

“Felicity, keep the med bay ready.” He grunted out. Diggle was just as heavy as he looked,

 

“Did you get shot?!” Felicity exclaimed, he could already hear her hurrying over to wear he kept the herbs,

 

“Not me. Digg.”

 

“And… and you’re bringing him here?”

 

“He already knows now, Felicity. Besides, I trust him. And he could be useful.”

 

She didn’t argue further, and when Oliver got into the foundry, there was a cot ready for the big guy. Oliver was briefly amused. Only Felicity would think about getting a futon for a damp basement. Oliver dumped Diggle onto the mattress, taking out the bullet and stitching him up while Felicity silently force drank the man all the herb tea she could.

 

Oliver only relaxed after he had plopped himself onto Felicity’s chair, his wife walking over to him till she was standing between his legs. Oliver sighed, leaning over till his face rested over her chest, arms loosely wrapped around the backs of her thighs,

 

“You alright?” She asked him softly, scraping her nails along his scalp, and Oliver relaxed further,

 

“Yeah.” He murmured, voice muffled just barely against her dress, “I didn’t expect Digg to be there.” He told her. She made a sympathetic sound,

 

“Speaking of which, there was a security camera on the staircase. I should scrub the footage.” Oliver shook his head, and leaned back so that he could look up at her. She was still so small, he barely reached her collar bone sitting while she was in her four-inch heels.

 

“No, leave it be.” Felicity frowned,

 

“Oliver-”

 

“The SCPD is going to suspect me at some point or the other. The sooner I get proved innocent, the better.”

 

“Oh yeah? And how are you going to be proved innocent? The camera feed clearly shows you grabbing a bag from the trash can.”

 

“Yeah. But, it doesn’t so me changing into my gear.” And besides, if everything goes according to plan, I won’t be a suspect for long.

 

Felicity narrowed her eyes at him,

 

“And what is this plan of yours?” Oliver sighed,

 

“The only way I will be off their list is if they have me and the hood runs free at the same time.”

 

“Yeah, but if you’re being monitored then who-” Felicity stopped herself, heading turning to where Oliver’s bodyguard was laying on the cot, still unconscious, “John Diggle.” She stated.

 

“And that’s why you’re the smart one in this relationship.” Oliver quipped jokingly, grinning even as his wife raised an eyebrow in disbelief,

 

“That’s a pretty big gamble to take.” She warned him, but Oliver just shrugged,

 

“I trust him.” He assured her. Felicity was quiet for a moment, and then nodded.

 

Behind them, Diggle groaned as he gained consciousness. The last thing he remembered was being supported and dragged away by the hood. Now, he opened his eyes, to see the hood sitting in front of a fairly impressive computer system, the man’s hood down.

 

Diggle didn’t know what shocked him more, the petite little blonde woman standing next to the arrow, a hand on his shoulder, or that the unmasked vigilante was his charge, Oliver Queen.

 

The blonde woman smiled at him, the action natural and guileless, completely foreign in the damp and dark setting,but at the same time somehow belonging. Diggle didn’t know what to do even as she opened her mouth to speak,

 

“Hello.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PEOPLE ARE REALIZING HE HAS A GIRLFRIEND NOW!
> 
> Also, as I go through the episodes and place Felicity in the story, it is becoming so much easier for Oliver to just not kill. I mean, she made him trick arrows, and comm units, and built in camera feed, and saved him hours of research time, and really, where would our boy be without his queen??
> 
> AND AND VERDANT JUST TURNED INTO SMOAK TECH?? WHATTTTT??
> 
> I know none of you saw that coming! I KNOW THAT!! But, it just ties the whole story together so seamlessly, you know? Ain't no plot hole gonn be there in my STORYY
> 
> Also,the relationship between the Queen siblings? It makes me cry X(. Even in the actual season, all Oliver had to do was provide her even with minimum amounts of support. IT was clear that Thea was just desperate to open up to someone...
> 
> Laurel's always going to frustrate you with her obtuse thinking, but isn't reading her delusional mind-set just so much fun? Because I love writing her when she's like this ;)
> 
> DIGGLE KNOWS NOW! I wonder how that's going to turn out in the next chapter? CLIFFHANGER MUCHHHH?
> 
> Thank you for reading! This is an absolute delight to write. For getting notifications on updates, or even if you just wanna talk, follow me on @in_enochian at twitter. Let's have a chat!
> 
> -inenochian (ms)


	8. Just keep breathin' breathin' breathin'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I don't know if you guys noticed from my last update, but Sweetener killed me.)
> 
> You guys!!! Bad news, there probably won't be a new chapter next week :'( My semester finals start next week, and I really want to do well this time (I promised myself to buy myself 'milk and honey' if I stick to my prep plan and I reealllyyy want it)
> 
> GOOD NEWS! Diggle knows now, and y'all were sooo excited last update! Made me super happy :) :)
> 
> @Causeimbecca, welcome to the family! I also hope you stick with my slow ass till the end :) it'll deff be worth it. 
> 
> @EndlessPages and @Newsies73, Thank you! I love writing Oliver and Thea! I hated how they handled that relationship in season 1, especially because I'm so close with both of my older brothers. Oliver's obsessed ass treated Thea so bad because of loler... s1 was cringey all around.
> 
> @Guest (idk your name! tell me your name!!) thank you for saying ASABS > your work! That's some high praise *kisses*
> 
> So many of you guys love that I love writing ridiculous, borderline delusional laurel, and that makes me so happy! We really are like a family here, you guys!!
> 
> Anyways, Thankyou for all the feedback, I'm really sorry for next week, I hope this >5k word update makes up for at least some of it! And as always,
> 
> HAPPY READING!

Before Diggle even knew what he was doing, he was up, his fist aiming for Oliver’s jaw, but his legs were still weak, and he stumbled even as Oliver pushed the blonde behind himself, a scowl on his face, and a protesting ‘watch it, Digg’ coming out of his mouth. In that particular second, Diggle couldn’t careless,

 

“You bastard! You’re… you’re that vigilante.” Digg’s breathing had already gone ragged. He leaned on the wall beside him heavily even as he tried to step forward. In reaction, Oliver nudged the woman behind him even further. Finally, Diggle’s attention diverted to her. She was a small thing, cautiously peeking from behind Oliver’s back even though her gaze was filled with plain curiosity and determination. She was a pretty blonde, hair in a ponytail and sky blue eyes behind a pair of thick framed glasses,

 

“Who’s that?” Digg motioned to her with his chin. Oliver hesitated, looked between Felicity and his bodyguard only for a second before deciding that there was no need to lie,

 

“This is Felicity Queen. She’s my wife.” From behind Oliver, Felicity smiled, gave the other man an awkward little wave. Diggle blinked, beyond confused. Between Oliver’s green leather secret, his ability to fight like a ninja and his ‘wife’, John didn’t even know what to question first,

 

“Maybe you should sit down first, Mr. Diggle.” Felicity, seeing as Diggle didn’t make any further move to attack either of them, came forward once again. She felt Oliver snatch her hand, trying to hold her back, but she just gave his arm a reassuring squeeze, and walked over to John Diggle with her desk chair. Diggle sat heavily, the chair beneath him creaking at the sudden weight, and he glared at the billionaire-turned-vigilante in front of him,

 

“You’d better start talking. Now.” Oliver sighed, but nodded. He grabbed the chair in front of the med table and placed it so that both him and Diggle were sitting across each other, a safe few feet between them,

 

“I was stranded on an island. That part wasn't a lie.” Oliver felt like he had to emphasize that. He hadn’t started lying just for the sake of it. He had only felt it necessary because the real version had seemed too bizarre to be believable without solid proof.

 

“... But not for five years, right?” Digg caught on. Oliver nodded. He turned back to look at Felicity. She gave him an encouraging nod, so he forged on,

 

“For two years I was on that island. An island filled with mercenaries and torturers. I learned to fight there. I made friends and lost them. Made enemies and survived them. I thought I had been rescued when I saw a helicopter hovering over the island. That I’d be able to go back to my family and forget the last two years as if they were just some sort of a nightmare.” Oliver shook his head, a dismal smile tugging his lips up, “But, it wasn’t anything that simple.” He looked up at Diggle to find the other man solely focusing on him, “It was a secret government organisation. I can’t tell you much about it. But, they had found out about me, and recruited me. At that point, I would’ve done anything to get out of that island. So, I joined them.”

 

“This organisation, what was it?”

 

“That part, we still can’t tell you.” Felicity piped up. As much faith she and Oliver were putting on John Diggle by telling him all of this, if Amanda Waller ever found out that a civilian had found out about ARGUS through them, it could jeopardize their entire deal. Diggle pinched his lips close in displeasure. Oliver could see from his face that he wasn’t very convinced. With a sigh, he continued talking.

 

“I worked with them for three years. I met Felicity there. We got married after a year of working together. And only now, after we exhausted our usefulness to them, were we able to get out. I’m not jeopardising the life I’m building here with Felicity by saying anything more.” Oliver stated. Diggle scoffed,

 

“Life? Oliver, even if I were to believe everything you’re saying, What life are you talking about?” Diggle shook his head, stood up and paced the floor now that the nausea had receded, “Sure, you’re a semi-respected businessman by day, but at night, you’re a secret vigilante targeting the one percenters of Star City, have a secret ‘wife’-” Diggle said incredulously, but was cut off when Oliver too stood up,

 

“All of this is temporary. I just have to wait till-”   
  


“Till what? Because there are always going to bad people in the world, Oliver.”

 

“It’s not about the bad people. It’s about righting my father’s wrongs!” Diggle stared at him, and in the quiet that followed, Oliver realised that he had yelled the last part out loud. He took a visible breath in, calming himself down, “I’m not looking to be a hero.” He told Digg, softly this time, his fingers itching to touch the comforting cold metal on his ring finger, but finding nothing but calloused skin. It was frustrating, “My father, right before he shot himself in front of me, he told me to survive, so that I could right his wrongs. He gave me a list of names that were slowly killing this city. This mission isn’t about bettering the world. I’ve given too much of my life to others. I’ve already sacrificed too much. This is just about honoring my father’s memory.”

 

Digg shook his head, let out a rough laugh that was all mock before looking at Oliver with his face dripping with pity, “This is insane.” He muttered, loud enough that both Oliver and Felicity heard it, but neither of them moved even as they watched Diggle leave, climbing the stairs and disappearing from the view.

 

Oliver heard Felicity sigh, and a moment later, felt her arm winding around his. Slowly, he leaned his weight on her, felt her press a kiss on his bicep, and almost involuntarily, a small smile stretched across his lips. He was drained, but he wasn't alone. He hasn’t been alone ever since he met Felicity, and if he had anything to say about it, he never will be again.

 

“Well, that went as well as it could go.” She murmured into his shoulder.

 

“He just needs some time.” He replied, but Oliver wasn’t too sure about that himself. Felicity’s little ‘hmm’ of agreement didn’t induce much confidence either. He sighed tiredly and turned to face his wife, “Come on, I’m tired. And right now, a little bit of cuddling sounds heavenly.”

 

Felicity moaned softly at the picture he painted, but regretfully took a step back, “As much as I would love that, you do have a family who must be worried.”

 

Oliver shrugged, “I’ll give Thea a call.” The look Felicity gave him told him clearly that it wouldn’t be enough, and even Oliver couldn’t argue with that. He’s sure his mom and sister are already pretty mad at his disappearance, and he knew that if he didn’t want to make them any angrier, he would have to go and sleep alone in his childhood bedroom tonight. Didn’t mean he had to like it.

 

That was an understatement, Oliver hated it.

 

“I hate this.” Oliver groaned, and felt Felicity’s bittersweet smile when she pressed it against his throat, 

 

“Come on, big guy. You still need to drop me off.” Felicity whispered against her husband’s skin, and slowly, almost reluctantly they started to make their way to two different places, to spend the night without each other.

 

>\--------|>

 

Thea ended the call with a sigh of relief, turned around to find her mother pacing frantically in front of the fire escape,

 

“That was Ollie.” She told her mother, and immediately, Moira sagged her shoulders in relief, “He’s fine. He said he just needed a bit of time and space after all that commotion.” Thea assured everyone in the room. Walter, who had been sitting rigidly on the sofa, waiting for the news relaxed visibly, and Laurel, who had arrived a little over ten minutes ago scoffed,

 

“What do you mean space and time? He should have known we were worried about him.”

 

Thea frowned at the other woman. Laurel had been a picture of concern when she had first arrived, and Thea had felt thankful for the other woman and the concern she carried for both Oliver and the rest of the Queen family, especially considering everything that had happened, but she had no right to judge Ollie. Not when she had no idea what Oliver had gone through.

 

And sure, Thea didn’t know everything either, but she knew some. Oliver had told her a little about the deserted island. About how it could get eerily quiet there for days, with no wind moving the waves and the animal life asleep at night. How he could spend days without saying a word. It was no wonder the shooting had been so overwhelming for him. Thea didn’t blame him. And while Laurel may not have the knowledge to understand Oliver, she also didn’t have the right to judge him. She wasn’t Ollie’s girlfriend. No, that title was now someone else’s, and Thea was just about to tell her so when they heard the main door open. 

 

Thea forgets about Laurel, and runs over to the foyer where Oliver is just getting in. He looks exhausted, and tired, and so weary, it breaks her heart a little. Even then, when he sees her, he smiles a little, and opens up his arms so that she can jump into them. It’s oddly reminiscent to their reunion from when he first came back, and Thea smiles happily as she lets the relief course through her.

 

“I’m glad you’re okay.” She tells him as they pull away. 

 

“I know. I’m sorry, I knew I should’ve come sooner.., It was just, it was a bit much.” Thea nodded sympathetically. Oliver’s brow furrowed when he looked behind her,

 

“Laurel, what are you doing here?” Laurel didn’t answer. She just walked closer and gathered him in her arms. He was tense, but then, after the shooting, who wouldn’t be? She gave his firm body a squeeze, and only started pulling away when his hands moved to grip her waist, nudging her back,

 

“I was so worried about you, Ollie. We all were.” She spreads her arm to indicate where both Moira and Walter were standing, nothing but relief on their faces, “You shouldn’t have gone off on your own. It was very selfish of you.” She told him. Oliver frowned, wondering what to say to that. He looked over to where Moira was holding herself tightly, as if she was going to fall apart any second, and the action pinched his chest because of it’s vulnerability. Moira Queen was a lot of things, but vulnerable was not a one of them.

 

“I’m sorry.” He addressed the whole room, trying not to outwardly lie while at the same time omitting all the important bits, “The whole incident was… it was a bit more overwhelming than what I was expecting.”

 

Moira seemed to understand, or at least she was sympathetic, because she simply nodded and hugged him. He placed a kiss on her head, assuring her that he was alright, and with a soft smile, she bid the rest of the house good night, both her and Walter leaving for their bedroom. Oliver turned to look at Thea and Laurel with a tired smile, he cleared his throat,

 

“I’m sorry for worrying you, but I’m beat… Thank you for coming, Laurel.” He nodded in her direction before turning around and walking back to his room. He knew he won’t really be able to sleep tonight, not when he knew his wife was also in the same city, sleeping alone. It was a sucky situation, and only reaffirmed his decision to talk to his mother and Thea about moving out. He and Felicity really needed to start looking for a place. 

 

He switched on the television in his bedroom, flipping through channels till he reached the local news. He changed his clothes slowly, still banged up and littered with bruises from his fight with Deadshot. It was only once he had finally settled into bed when he heard a knock on his door. It made him sigh, but he tiredly asked whoever it was to come in,

 

Thea opened the door a peek, poking her head out. She didn’t really want to upset Ollie further by catching his shirtless again, but he was already in bed, listlessly watching the news, so she silently made her way over next to him, the popcorn she had made in the kitchen once Laurel had left in one hand, as she climbed up next to him,

 

“What’re we watching?” She asked him, Oliver shrugged, he had caught only the second half of the interview, but Thea only had to take one look at the screen before sitting up straighter,

 

“Ah, That’s Peter Declan.” She told her brother, and Oliver tried to listen to what she was saying, but he was also so exhausted he wouldn’t be surprised if he just lost consciousness, “Killed his wife in his baby’s room.” She sounded disgusted as she muttered, “What a psycho.”

 

Oliver was inclined to agree, and could feel his bias against the man rising even as the man defended himself,

 

“Camille was everything to me.” He watched Peter Declan say, “I couldn’t kill her anymore than I could kill myself.” Oliver was too tired to even consider the possibility that the man was telling the truth. Instead, he changed the channel to something lighter. Thea had been through enough trauma tonight to add this into the equation. He turned to her to find her eyes slipping shut. She jerked awake only a moment later though, and Oliver grimaced when he realised what was happening,

 

“Can’t sleep?” He asked unnecessarily,

 

“Don’t want to.” Thea replied, “I know I’m going to get bad dreams if I do.” 

 

“I get it. It took me a while to be able to sleep without getting nightmares when I got out of the island.” Oliver tells her. Thea jerks up, surprised he’s even talking about something that he usually keeps so close to him, 

 

“And what did you do… to stop them?” Oliver blew out a heavy breath, 

 

“Well, they never really go away completely…” He replies, and recalls what Felicity had taught him a couple of years ago, “But talking about it helps. I know it sounds cliche, but it clears your mind.” Thea looked at him strangely for a second,

 

“And you… talked about it?” Before Oliver could contradict that statement, she continued, “With your girlfriend? Feli...city?” Oliver hesitated before nodding,

 

“Sometimes it’s easier to talk to people who haven’t known the person I was before the island.” He replied truthfully, “I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I have changed, Thea.”

“Oh, it definitely looks like it, Ollie.” Thea smirked, “You’re more serious now, and that’s not a bad thing, and you were good brother five years ago, but you’re also a good person now. I like this new you, even if you don’t really tell me everything. Even if you sometimes disappear for hours and no one can get a hold of you.”

 

Oliver’s smile, though filled with gratitude, was also shallow. He couldn’t help but think what Thea would think if she ever found out about how he spent his nights. Would she be proud of him? Or would she find him insane just like John did? Not that any of it mattered, because if Oliver had any say in it, Thea would never find out about it.

 

“Anyway.” Thea continued, “Is there anything else that helps with the nightmares, oh you all knowing one?” She mocked him, but he answered her seriously,

 

“Feeling safe helps.” He replied, thinking about all those nights he spent surrounded by Felicity's soft arms, feeling like nothing in the world could touch him, “Sleeping in a place, or with a person, who makes you feel untouchable? That helps.” Thea peered at him from the corner of her eyes, contemplatively silent before she whispered,

 

“In that case, can I sleep here just for tonight?” Oliver softened, smiled even as he saw his sister’s face darken with an embarrassed flush,

 

“Yeah. yeah, that’s alright.”

 

>\--------|>

 

It didn’t take long for Oliver to ditch his new bodyguard the next morning. Though, John Diggle quitting on him was a bit worrying. He shook his head clear. He had worse things to worry about. Like Camille Declan being an employee of Jason Brodeur, and Jason Brodeur being on the list. He rode over to the Queen Steel factory, expecting it to be empty, but even before he entered the building, he could hear the crashing sounds of objects being tossed around. Immediately, his body tensed. Oliver walked over silently, making sure his shoes made no sound against the gravel underneath him, only to be met with his wife’s back, and a couple of men that looked like cleaners clearing out one of the rooms on the second floor of the warehouse,

 

“Hey.” He greeted softly, and Felicity jumped before turning around, smacking her ponytail in her own face from the momentum, Oliver smiled at her startled expression,

 

“Oliver! I almost had a heart attack!”

 

“What’s going on?” He asked her, coming forward to stand beside her and watched as the workers cleared out all the debris. Felicity grinned, and showed off a bunch of documents in her hand, wiggling them so much in her excitement that he couldn’t read a word,

 

“I got this in the mail this morning.” She told him, and finally, Oliver took hold of her wrist so that he could properly read what was on the papers, “As of last night, I’m am now the proud owner of this abandoned factory site.” She continued. Oliver raised his brow, a proud grin already stretching across his face,

 

“Hun, that’s amazing!” He pulled her into his arms, and she came willingly, vibrating all the way still in her excitement. It made Oliver laugh even as he pulled her into a kiss. They only pulled away when Oliver sensed another presence. The worker standing in front of them looked slightly awkward, squeezing his fingers nervously as he looked between Felicity and him,

 

“We’re done clearing out the office, Ms. Smoak.” Felicity gave the older man a charming smile,

 

“Thank you, Charlie. You guys can take a break if you want.” The man nodded, avoiding looking at Oliver as he turned around and walked back to the rest of the crew. Oliver turned to look at his wife with a frown,

 

“Smoak?” He asked, and she smiled sadly at him,

 

“Well, I can’t very well go by Queen right now.” She started, and Oliver scowled even though he knew she was right. It was only temporary though. Once this was all over, they would get married once again in the eyes of the public, and everything will be just as it was, “And I had promised myself that I would never associate myself with my father again, so Cutler was out of option. That left my mother’s maiden name. So, for now, Hi. I’m Felicity Smoak.”

 

“Felicity Smoak.” Oliver repeated after her, smiling softly, “Hi. I’m Oliver Queen.”

 

Felicity giggled at the wink Oliver gave her, pulling her closer by the hips so that they were nose to nose. But, her mood dampened slightly when she realised what time it was,

 

“Hey, shouldn’t you be at the office?” Oliver sighed,

 

“That’s what I had planned, but… did you watch the news this morning?” Felicity frowned, but nodded,

 

“Camille Declan’s murder? I don’t think her husband did it.” He states confidently,

“You don’t? I thought it was an open and shut case?” Oliver nodded, 

“Yeah, but Mrs.Declan worked for Jason Brodeur and-”

 

“He’s on the list?” Felicity finished for him. Oliver tried to suppress his smile at her brilliance. This was a serious matter, but the pride he felt still made his chest warm,

 

“That’s right.” Felicity nodded, frowning as though she was already sitting on her seat in the foundry,

 

“I will look into it. We have to catch him before Peter Declan’s execution.” She muttered before shaking her head clear, “You should still get into the office. After yesterday, we already know that the SCPD will be suspecting you. It’ll be better if you acted like Oliver Queen future CEO for now.”

 

“But-” Oliver started to protest, but she placed a warm hand on his cheek, stopping him from speaking further,

 

“I’ll call as soon as I find anything substantial. For now, please go back to the office.” Oliver sighed, realising she was right. There was no one he trusted in this world more than Felicity, and if she thought that it would be better for him to pretend to be a regular civilian, then he would have faith.

 

“Okay.”

 

>\---------|>

 

It was a half an hour before his lunch break that Oliver finally got a call from Felicity. He quickly ended his conversation with one of employees of the marketing department, walking out of the room before answering the phone,

 

“Hey, you found something?” 

 

“Only that the evidence against him is overwhelming.” Felicity sighed into the speaker, pressing the bridge of her nose in the hopes to stave off the headache she could feel coming on,

 

“Felicity, I know he’s innocent-” Oliver rushed out, making sure to keep his tone low, but Felicity cut him off,

 

“And I’m not arguing with you. I just think it would be a good idea to get Mr.Declan a lawyer. At least to buy us some time if nothing else.”

 

Oliver was quiet for a moment as he thought,

 

“Do you know if Jason’s free?” She made a negative sound at the back of her throat,

 

“Already tried that. He’s in DC at the moment on an assignment. Wouldn’t give me details. He said he would be able to come down in a couple of days but-”

 

“We don’t have that much time.” Oliver cursed, frustrated.

 

“Exactly. Don’t you know any other lawyer who wouldn’t ask too much questions? I mean, at this point, anyone would do.” Felicity asked, and the silence on the other side of the line told her that her husband had thought of something, but was hesitant to voice it. “Someone just popped into your mind, didn’t they?” She asked, eager.

 

“Uh, Laurel is a lawyer, though I don’t know about the won’t ask questions part.” Felicity thought for a moment, 

 

“Well, she wouldn’t really ask questions if you went to her in your green suit.” She suggested. Oliver shrugged, that could be doable. 

 

“Alright. I’ll give her a visit tonight. In the meantime, is there anything you can do?”

 

“I’m trying to find the motive behind Camille’s murder. I mean, even if she did work for the bad guy, there had to be a reason why he would kill her, right?” 

 

Oliver nodded, “Right.” From the corner of his eyes, he saw his executive assistant, Paul frantically waving at him, the landline clutched in his other hand, “Hey honey, I need to go. But, I’ll come pick you up in a bit. Let’s have lunch, okay?”

 

Her reply was only a vague ‘uh-oh’, and Oliver sighed, smiling as he ended the call, realising that he had already lost his wife to research.

 

>\--------|>

 

Laurel’s gait may have been a bit too smug as she walked out of Iron Heights prison, but she didn’t think anybody could blame her. After all, out of all the lawyers in Starling City, the vigilante had come to her for help. He had seeked her out, and handed her the key piece of evidence that she would need to bring Jason Brodeur to court and all because he thought she was a good person. She had asked him, why her? And his answer had pleased her. She still remembered how his presence had felt so close to her back, how intoxicating the smell of his leather had been. He had trusted her to free an innocent man, and she would try her hardest to make sure that she didn’t let him down.

 

This was just the first step in their very long journey to better this city. She could feel it. Laurel and the Hood, saving Starling City one criminal at a time and forming a permanent bond while doing so.

 

Joanna was worried about her friend. Ever since Laurel had told her about the Peter Declan case, Joanna hadn’t seen her without that wretched case file in her hand. Today afternoon, she had even gone over to SCPD to talk to her father about the case, and Joanna knew how much Laurel disliked discussing work with her father. Though, in her defence, Detective Lance was a bit too overprotective when it came to Laurel, though again, in  _ his _ defence, he had already lost one daughter to bad decision and carelessness, of course he was going to be a bit more protective of his second daughter’s safety.

 

“You know, you never told me who hooked you up with this Peter Declan case.” She tried to subtly ask her friend. Laurel looked up, at her question getting a bit of a sparkle in her eye. Coyly, she walked over to Joanna’s desk, hunching forward and lowering her voice so that no one else but she could hear her,

 

“It was the Hood.” Laurel whispered, and watched as Joanna’s eyes widened,

 

“Starling City’s guardian angel?” She whisper-yelled, and Laurel shushed her even as she nodded,

 

“Yeah. He seeked me out last night. Told me that Peter Declan was innocent.”

 

“An- And you what? You believe him? What happened to ‘The only way is the lawful way’? Cause, let me tell you , whatever that man is doing, he’s breaking like a million laws while doing it.” Laurel shrugged, biting her lip even as she tried to curb the smile stretching across her face,

 

“I don’t know what to tell you, Jo. He’s different. He makes me feel safe.” Joanna’s eyes widened further,

 

“Please tell me you’re not falling for the hood guy, Lau. I mean, yes he has a fantastic ass, but come on! He shoots people with arrows in the middle of the night. That cannot possibly be sane.” Laurel sighed,

 

“I don’t know what to tell you, Joanna.” She shrugged, “We just… have a connection I suppose.”

 

“Oh yeah? And what about Tommy?” Laurel’s brows furrowed in confusion,

 

“What about him?”

 

“Oh come on, Laurel. Don’t play dumb. You and I both know that that boy is gone on you.” Laurel rolled her eyes,

 

“And it’s nice. But, You and I also both know that I’m not interested in him like that.” Joanna shook her head. She couldn’t understand how Laurel could go for a wild card as the Hood when she had such a cute billionaire just worshipping the ground she walked on.

 

“Whatever. Just, just be careful, okay?”

 

“Of course.”

 

>\----------|>

 

Diggle sighed as he looked out of the window. His had spent his entire day just trying to convince himself that he wasn’t going insane. That his charge, the man he was supposed to protect, really was the Starling City vigilante. Truth was, Diggle shouldn’t really be this surprised. Afterall, he had thought from the start that there was something different about Oliver Queen. He was much too put together for someone who was supposed to be a cast away. Him being in a secret government organisation, as insane as that sentence sounded, made much more sense.

 

He jumped out of his thoughts when a basket of fries was placed in front of him. He gave Carly a fleeting smile even as she curiously glared at the sling that was keeping his injured arm in place. Diggle feared she would be too curious for her own good. He didn’t even know how to start to tell Carly about any of this. Maybe if it was Lyla-

 

He stopped that thought before it could even form completely in his head.

 

“What happened to your arm, Johnny?” Carly asked, finally out of patience. Diggle sighed,

 

“It’s part of the job, Carly.” She glared at him,

 

“I know that, Johnny. I haven’t forgotten. I lost my husband to this stupid job. I just… I don’t want to lose you either.” Immidietly Joh felt guilty at his crass tone, but before he could apologize, the bell above the restaurant rang, and Diggle absently turned around to see who it was. He scowled when he saw Oliver Queen walking over to him, but didn’t say anything to the man as he sat across from him. Another man, who Diggle could only assume was his replacement, stood that the entrance of the restaurant.

 

“Carly, could you give us a moment?” Diggle asked his sister-in-law. He could tell from the frown on her face that she didn’t like being dismissed, but she left without another word anyway,

 

“What do you want, Queen?” Oliver smiled at him, overly polite and at least 50% fake.

 

“I couldn’t help but notice the clear absence of law enforcement at my home or workplace.” Digg narrowed his gaze,

 

“Just because I didn’t call the cops on you, doesn’t mean I particularly agree with you beating up random people, Oliver.”

 

“It’s not random. I told you this before.”

 

“Right. The ‘list’ your father gave you.” Oliver took out the notebook from his jacket pocket, placing it in front of Diggle.

 

“Have you heard of the Declan case?” Oliver asked even as Diggle flipped through the names in the book,

 

“Yeah. The man that killed his wife.” Oliver shook his head. He pitied Peter Declan. He could hardly even fathom losing Felicity, much less being blamed for it. It would be like being in a million different kinds of hell.

 

“He didn’t. Camille Declan was working for a Jason Brodeur. He’s on my father’s list. According to all the evidence I’ve gathered so far, I know for a fact that Mrs. Declan had found out about Brodeur dropping toxic waste into the Glades water supply. She talked to her supervisor about it, and he had her killed for it.

 

Diggle looked at him, shocked, and Oliver leaned forward, knowing he was finally getting through to the man, “Felicity and I, all we’re trying to do is put the actual bad guys into Jail, and trying to save the innocents from dying.” Oliver cleared his throat before continuing, knowing that this next part was possibly the most important, “And we want you to join us. Help us to bring justice to those who always managed to slip through the law.”

 

Diggle sat quietly, contemplating before he looked up at Oliver, “I’ll think about it.”

 

Oliver nodded, and smiled, “That’s all I’m asking.” he glanced down to see the time on his watch. “Shit, I gotta go.”

 

Diggle tensed, “You targeting him tonight?” Oliver smirked,

 

“No, not yet. Just, don’t want to be late to dinner with the wife.” He stood up, but when he saw his new bodyguard Robb getting ready to follow him again, he sighed heavily before putting on a fake smile,

 

“Ah, Robb. I gotta go to the wash room.” He said, and Diggle watched, amused but trying not to show it as Robb just stood there, naively watching as Oliver walked over to the men’s room.

 

Digg would feel sorry for him, if he didn’t think that the guy was a complete moron. Purposely, he stayed quiet till he knew that Oliver would’ve successfully escaped before turning to look at Robb. He tried not to smile as he said,

 

“Oh that boy’s long gone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so... this laurel might be a bit too delusional? BUT you guys said that you enjoyed it! So, I went for a bit of comedy!! I honestly can't wait to write more Laurel. And I hate Laurel ;)  
> Also, I know this Digg and Oliver confrontation wasn't as... confronting, but tb fair, this Oliver doesn't kill people. And he's not lying about having changed. He's embracing his more responsible self, so the whole thing isn't as bad, or as much of a surprise.
> 
> But still, he has a wife. And that's going to be a big pill to swallow. Another thing I'm really looking forward to, OTA interaction.  
> Can I just also say, the Thea--Oliver scene in this chapter actually hit me really hard? Like, to the point where my hard was beating really fast (Though that could've been the 4 cups of coffee but let me have this please)
> 
> Anyway, sorry about next week. Hope you liked this. Leave a comment below telling me how great I am or how I ruined your life by not posting next week (your choice :) ) I'll see you... next to next? week? Follow me on twitter @in_enochian to know when I update!
> 
> -ms


	9. I Am His, He Is Mine (In The End, It's Him & I)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **This chapter name is brought to you by lyrics of: Him & I - Halsey**
> 
> Thank you for all your prayers and well wishes for my finals, you guys! That was so SWEET! I love you people <3 <3!! I hope this chapter was worth the 10 day wait! 
> 
> I'm glad y'all liked the Thea-Oliver moment in the last chapter! It's my second fav interaction to write. @raigne, I agree. Sarah Lance was a 100x better Black Canary than LL.
> 
> @CaptainSammyAngel, No, William probs won't be a part of this story. Don't get me wrong, I love that boy to bits. But, Oliver and Felicity just aren't ready for that kind of a responsibility yet. Not to mention, the Samantha-Moira drama will just make everything SO messy...
> 
> @Olicityfn, don't worry. Oliver and Felicity will get a place for themselves soon...at some point... um. 
> 
> @Guest-Claudia, omg same. procrastination is my best friend. I'm trying to keep what little humor arrow s1 had in the story, and everybody knows that Diggle humor is the best humor.
> 
> @bebrezzy91, the only Laurel I can write is thirsty!Laurel lol. I tried to make her a semi-decent human beings in the first few chapters, But, IMMA PETTY BITCH and I always end up writing her ridiculous af. It brings joy to my little dead soul.
> 
> @Kim, aww, Thank you! I appreciate it so much, knowing how many talented people we have in our fandom
> 
> @Pally_The_Second, same. I'm pretty sure I woul've dropped the show so fast if it wasn't for Oliver's abs and Digg's biceps and Felicity FUCKING Smoak.
> 
> @thefrizz13, same. I can't wait to write it. A highlight of the entire season rewrite.
> 
> Anyways... don't want to hold you guys for too long,  
> HAPPY READING!

Oliver woke up with a start, his second (vigilante) phone ringing on the hotel bedside table. He groaned, sitting up slowly so as to not wake up his wife sleeping next to him, her head pillowed on his chest. He picked up the cell with a scowl that only deepened when he saw that it was 3:15 AM in the middle of the night. As if he didn’t already get enough sleep with his day job at the office and night job on the streets, now the four hours that he did manage to get also had to be interrupted.

 

“What?” His voice was stiff and gruff, not that it would’ve mattered either way with the voice modulator software that Felicity had installed in it. Only one person had this number as of yet, but his sleep-deprived self was in no mood to be civil to Laurel,

 

“I, um. I went to meet Peter Declan today, you’re right. He might be innocent.” Laurel’s voice sounded in his ear. It was clear that his choppy tone had made her second guess her call to him. Oliver sighed, that was nothing he hadn’t already known before.

 

“I’m aware, Ms. Lance. The question is, will you represent him in court?” There was silence on the other end, and Oliver sighed again, realising he was going to have to be a bit softer if he didn’t want to intimidate his only chance at freeing Peter Declan.

 

“Yes, I will.” Laurel spoke, a little hesitant, “I also found out something else that might be useful.” Oliver rolled his eyes heavenward, realizing this call was going to go on longer than he had anticipated. He got up slowly, brushing Felicity’s hair gently when she made a discontent sound at the absence of his warmth and walked over to the living room,

 

“Go on.” He spoke softly standing in front of the floor to ceiling windows in the living room of the suit. Felicity’s being running herself ragged in between helping Oliver with his crusade and starting up her company. Oliver was adamant that she get as much rest as she possibly could.

 

“Camille had found out about the Brodeur dumping all his toxic waste in the glades, and told her supervisor about it-”

 

“Yes, but Matt Ishtook convinced the police and the jury that he didn’t know anything about it.” Oliver said, interrupting her. This was all information Felicity had already found out from Mrs.Declan’s digital records and Matt Ishtook’s recorded testimonies. Oliver had been planning on raiding through Ishtook’s offices tomorrow, seeing as Felicity hadn’t found anything online tonight. 

 

“Y-yeah… How did you know?”

 

“Do you have anything else?” He asked instead, ignoring her question.

 

“Matt Ishtook already has the police and the jury convinced. How will you get a confession out of him?” This was ridiculous. Neither of them were answering questions. Oliver because he didn’t see the point, Laurel probably because she didn’t have anything else for him.

 

“By doing what is necessary.”

 

“You do know that coerced confessions are not admissible in court right?”

 

“No. But hard evidence is.” Oliver hung up then, feeling a migraine coming on from having had to wake up so immediately. He sighed when he heard soft footsteps shuffling behind him, and the soft smile that formed on his face when he turned around was almost involuntary, though not at all unwelcome, as his wife stumbled towards him, sleep soft with an oversized shirt swimming on her body and eyes squinty without her glasses,

 

“Hey honey.” He opened his arms for her, and she snuggled up to him, having done the same action hundreds of times before making the moves seem seamless.

 

“Who called in the middle of the night?” Felicity’s voice was muffled on his chest, and he kissed the top of her head, loving how much smaller her frame was compared to his. Felicity’s presence in his life has always been all-encompassing. She feels greater than life itself when she’s at her brightest, and she’s undoubtedly, the most powerful woman he’s ever met. And yet, when she’s like this, soft and sweet and sleepy and in his arms, all he wants to do is wrap himself around her, keep her safe from everything and anything that might ever want to hurt her. She’s the perfect woman for him; they’re perfect for eachother, which is saying something because after everything that he had gone through on the island, he’d never thought he could be perfect for anyone, let alone someone as bright and as whole as Felicity Queen.

 

“It was Laurel.” Oliver shrugged at Felicity’s curious look, “She didn’t find out anything we didn’t already know.” She grimaced, and he was inclined to agree. It was a pretty shitty reason to wake up at 3 in the morning,

 

“Come on, honey. Let’s go back to bed.” She pulled away, taking one of his hands in both of hers, placing a kiss on his palm before pulling him towards the bedroom, Oliver followed her with a tired sigh. He would have to get back up in a couple of hours, but he couldn’t really complain. His job at QC was satisfying in that it was both time consuming and he got to use his brains. He was also aware of how privileged he was, having gotten the position he had without having had to work for it, especially when he saw first hand how hard his own wife was working into creating a legacy of her own.

 

>\--------|>

 

Walter was surprised at the course of action he himself was thinking of taking. Despite Moira’s quite flimsy explanation for the missing 2.6 million dollars last night, he still had his doubts, though he wasn’t really sure who he could trust in what was essentially his wife’s family company. That is why when he made up his mind to talk to Oliver about it that morning, he was surprised at himself. Oliver might be Moira’s son, and thus have her loyalty, but Oliver had also proven himself responsible and trustworthy ever since he joined the company. More than that, he had proved that he cared about the people that worked for him by the way he remembered the employee’s names, or at least what they did in the company.

 

He knocked on the door to Oliver’s office when he saw that there was no one sitting at the desk in front of his office. When he did open the cherry wood door, he realised it was because Paul Stilinski, Oliver’s EA was with the man himself. He smiled when he saw Oliver handing the other man some files even as he looked up to where Walter waited at the door frame. Walter still remembered the spoiled child that had roamed the hallways of these same offices five years ago, and even though Oliver wasn’t his son by blood, he was still proud of how the man had turned out. 

 

“Walter.” Oliver said, giving him a polite, but still genuine smile. It was a far cry from the open hostility Oliver had shown him when he had first arrived. The progression of their personal relationship only strengthened Walter’s resolve to tell Oliver about the missing sum. After all, he was going to take over the company after Walter retired. He should know what is going on in his own offices. “What can I do for you today?” Oliver continued, nodding to Paul, indicating that they were done. Paul left silently, with a polite nod and smile to both of them, and Walter took a seat from across his step-son, making sure to close the door behind him before. Walter was grateful now, that Oliver had chosen one of the very few offices that still had opaque doors and walls.

 

“This is a bit of a sensitive matter, I’m afraid.” Walter started, and watched closely as Oliver became more serious. Walter handed him the file containing all the discrepancies he had found in the accounting records, and watched still, fascinated, as Oliver went through them row by row, frown deepening as he saw clearly what Walter himself had.

 

“This is a lot of money.” Oliver broke the tense silence that had blanketed the room,

 

“Yes it is.” Walter agreed calmly. Oliver finally looked up at him,

 

“Did you talk to my mother about this?”

 

“I did. She told me she authorized it. Said it was for a friend’s start-up venture.” Oliver looked curious as he placed the file on the desk, leaning forward enough for Walter to know he would have to choose his next words carefully,

 

“You don’t trust her?” Walter looked away. Family was a sensitive matter, and Walter was in love with Moira. But, he also couldn’t, in good conscious, let his emotions ruin this company,

 

“I know that this company is important to her. And I know she wouldn’t do anything that would be detrimental to it if she had a choice-”

 

“You think she’s being coerced?” Oliver cut him off, tensing dangerously. Walter shook his head ‘no’,

 

“I don’t have any reason to believe she is, no. But, I also know that there are things Moira has kept from me in our relationship. I hadn’t thought too much of it, because of course there are people who are more closed off than others, but with this…” Walter shook his head again, not being able to continue.

 

Oliver leaned back in his seat, eyes going back to the open file. Never would he have thought that his mother would be involved with something this suspicious. But, there was no reason to speculate. Not when he could do something about it instead,

 

“I know someone who can help us with this.” He started hesitantly, and Walter looked at him, equal parts curious and thankful that Oliver believed him,

 

“What do you mean help us?”

 

“I mean, she can… dig things up. Discreetly.” Walter narrowed his eyes,

 

“Is it someone in the company? Can we trust her?” Oliver straightened, clearing his throat knowing this was going to be hard to explain,

 

“No. No, her name is Felicity Smoak. We’re… seeing each other.” Oliver said, and continued more urgently when he saw the doubt festering in Walter, “She’s a genius with technology, graduated summa cum laude from MIT with a double masters in Cyber Security and Computer Sciences.”

 

Walter hesitated for a second before asking, “And you’re sure she can be discreet.”

 

Oliver shrugged, smiling a smile that was only a tad bit proud, “She did work for the government for the last three years. And I trust her.”

 

It took a while, but finally Walter nodded. 

 

“If you don’t mind then, I would like to meet her. For my own piece of mind.” 

 

“Of course. Give me a time and place and we’ll be there.” With that decision made, the older man got up from his seat, smiling lightly as he teased,

 

“I didn’t know you were seeing someone. I’m guessing that’s where you’ve been spending your nights?” Oliver smiled back,

 

“Yeah. She’s new in town, it’s only been a couple of months.” Walter nodded, and walked out of the office with a light, “I’ll see you at dinner tonight, Oliver.”

 

>\---------|>

 

Walter called him around lunch the next day. They had decided to meet in his office again. Oliver knew it was because it was one of the only ones that still had an actual door and walls, though the one of the walls was pretty much replaced with glass windows so as to give a rather spectacular view of the city. He was standing in front of it now, looking over the city he was so desperately trying to fight for, trying not to let his frustrations out when he remembered how Laurel had called the hood yesterday, only to tell him that the evidence he had procured hadn’t been enough. He knew the outcome would’ve been different if it was Jason fighting the case. After all, he was the best damn lawyer Oliver had met. As it was, Oliver would have to think of something else, and fast considering the ticking time bomb over Peter Declan’s head.

 

Felicity walked through the hallways of the Queen Consolidated building with a tiny skip in her step, enough to be peppy, but still managing to look somewhat sophisticated. Just because she had gotten good news didn’t mean she could look like a child in a candy store afterall. But, even that tiny peppy skip died when she finally got to her husband’s office. Oliver had his broody face on. She grimaced even as she walked closer, and Oliver, having heard her, turned around with an exhausted sigh,

 

“It’s barely lunch, and you already look like you’ve fought a war.” She remarked, and Oliver managed to huff a laugh as she walked over to him, arms reaching over and around his shoulders,

 

“I feel like I’ve been in a war.” He replied softly, his own arms going over to wrap around her waist. Her hand scratched the back of his head lightly, the second one coming over to play with the two day old scruff. Oliver felt himself lighten with every new breath he took, closing his eyes so that he could soak up the fragrance of that light vanilla lotion that Felicity used,

 

“Well, it’s a good thing that I’ve got some good news then.” His wife said, excitement bubbling her words even as she toned down her voice to match his. He opened his eyes to meet hers, curious,

 

“What is it?”

 

“Jason is coming over on the afternoon flight.” Oliver’s brows furrowed, 

 

“I thought you said he was on an assignment in DC?”

 

“Yeah. Apparently, the judge was dragging the case because of insufficient evidence.” Felicity told him, and casually shrugged, “I just found some to help the case move along.”

 

Oliver grinned down at her, “He can win this.”

 

“Yes he can.” Felicity smiled back at her, “Peter Declan is going to be a free man, Oliver.” Oliver could feel himself relaxing all at once. In his two years that Oliver has known Jason Miller, he has never seen the guy lose, and that’s saying something considering all the dubious cases that ARGUS drags in. Everything always needs to be done discreetly and quickly, both of which Jason specializes in, and both of which will help Peter Declan tremendously.

  
  


Paul greeted Walter with a smile when he stepped off of the elevator,

 

“Good evening, Mr. Steele. You can go on ahead. Ms. Felicity Smoak is already in.” Walter nodded, but hesitated,

 

“Have you met her before? Ms.Smoak?” he asked Paul, knowing it wasn’t very professional to be discussing an employee’s significant other, especially when that employee had a leadership position, but knowing Oliver’s general reputation with women, Walter felt he was at least a little justified. Paul shook his head though, even as he smiled softly,

 

“No. I just met her today when she came in ten minutes ago. She seems like a lovely young lady however.” Walter nodded, and then finally opened the door to his step son’s office. He was met by the pair of them standing in front of the window, and Walter had to admit that they made a good picture together. He hadn’t known what to expect from an ex-government agent, but he hadn’t imagined Ms. Smoak to be so… small. Against Oliver’s six foot frame, she looked tiny, but it wasn’t hard to tell that it was Oliver that was taking comfort in her presence. Her hands framed his face, his eyes soft and smile small as he continued gazing at her. The two stared at each other, parting only when Walter cleared his throat to get their attention,

  
  
  
  
  


“Ms. Smoak, I’m presuming?” Walter asked. The tiny blonde woman came forward with a smile, 

 

“That’s right. Please call me Felicity. And you must be Mr. Steele. Oliver explained to me the situation. I will help in anyway I can.” Walter raised an eyebrow at her bubbly disposition, another thing he had not expected from an agent.

 

“You understand that nobody outside this room can know about this.” Felicity smiled,

 

“Of course. You don’t have to worry, Mr. Steele, this isn’t my first rodeo.” Walter nodded. Satisfied for the time being. Felicity walked over to the laptop sitting on Oliver’s desk, getting comfortable, and Walter finally handed the files over to her.

 

“This is going to take some time.” She said hesitantly, looking over from Oliver to Walter and then back to Oliver,

 

“That’s alright.” Oliver said and turned to Walter, “We really need to discuss those budget cuts anyway.” He signalled his step father to join him over at the couch area instead.

 

>\---------|>

 

John Diggle was moping. There wasn’t a better word for it. He knew he had already made a choice, and now the only thing that was keeping him in his seat and not on his way to the Queen Mansion was his pride. Illegal methods or not, Oliver and his… wife (it was still so weird to think about Oliver having a spouse considering Diggle didn’t even know she existed till yesterday) were making a difference, no matter how small or how slowly, and that was already more than John could say about himself.

 

At least back when he was fighting a war, he could tell himself that he was protecting his people, that he was one of the good guys just because he knew that back home people were counting on his to win and come back home. He could tell himself that he was doing good because Lyla believed that he was doing good. But ever since he’s been back, it has all looked so hopeless. Ever since he started working in private security, ever since he lost his wife, it’s like he’s lost his purpose, and the life that used to thrill him now just feels like routine.

 

He wonders if he could feel that sense of purpose again, maybe not in the same intensity (he has no doubt that there is no way that life would be in any way as bright as it was when Lyla was in it) but maybe he can relive how it felt to be good. To be on the right side of justice again.

 

Decision made, he tossed a couple of bills on the counter for his coffee and pie and made his way over to the abandoned Queen Steel Factory.

 

>\----------|>

 

“Um, Oliver? I’m done.” Felicity said, turning to the left on her husband’s spinny chair where both he and Walter were sitting. At once, Oliver got up and walked over to stand beside her. The hand he placed on her shoulder as he bent to look at the screen had been familiar to her for years now, but Walter watched fascinated as he walked over to where his step son and his girlfriend sat. Both Oliver and Felicity were incredibly familiar with each other for two people who had only known each other and been together for a couple of months.

 

“What did you find?”

 

“The company Mrs.Queen-” Felicity stopped, turned to Walter with a sheepish smile, “Mrs. Steele? Or Mrs. Queen-Steele? Does she hyphenate? She seems like a woman who wo-” She stopped herself when she felt Oliver squeeze her shoulder, 

 

“Honey.” He spoke quietly, in a tone that he used whenever he wanted her to stop babbling no matter how cute he found it (his words). Felicity shook herself out of it, “Right. Nevermind. The company she said she invested in doesn’t exist.”

 

Walter’s brows furrowed, “What do you mean?”

 

“There was no investment made.” Felicity deliberately slowed her words. She had a bad habit of speaking rapidly whenever she cracked something. “The money was used to set up an offshore LLC called tempest.”

 

“There is nothing called The Tempest under the Queen consolidated brand.” Oliver observed. He did not like where this was going.

 

“That’s right. There is nothing registered with the secretary of state, no federal tax records, no patent applications filed-”

 

“And you- you found out all this in…” Walter looked down at his watch, “In a half hour?”

 

Felicity nodded, but Oliver could see that she wasn’t finished with her distracted response,

 

“Did you find anything else?”

 

“Yeah.” Felicity turned in her chair so that she was facing both the gentlemen, “In 2009, The Tempest did purchase a warehouse here in Starling City.”

 

“Alright. I’ll go check it out tonight.” Oliver decided, but frowned when he saw Walter shaking his head,

 

“I can’t ask this of you, Oliver. Whatever this is, it doesn’t really look like it’s legal. I would much rather if both of you stayed far away from this.”

 

“Walter, there is no way I’m not helping you with his. If anyone, it should be you who keeps a distance from this. The less you know, the better off you will be in terms of this company and your credibility as the acting CEO.”

 

“Moira is your mother, Oliver. Clearly, there is a conflict of interest here.” Oliver scoffed,

 

“She’s also your wife-” He started, but was interrupted when there was a knock on the door. Paul popped his head in with an apologetic grimace,

 

“I know you told me no disruptions, but there is a Jason Miller outside who says you won’t mind if it’s him.”

 

Oliver grinned, and saw Felicity doing the same from the corner of his eyes as she came to stand next to him. Oliver turned to Walter,

 

“We should discuss this more later, Walter.” He told his step-father. Walter nodded,

 

“Of course. I’ll leave you to your guest.” He then turned to Felicity, “It was a pleasure to meet you, Ms.Smoak.”

 

“Please, it’s Felicity.” Walter smiled, charmed.

 

“Felicity, then.”

 

Walter walked out of the room just as another man, a rather sophisticated man who looked to be in his early 30s walked in. Walter watched while the door closed as Oliver and Jason hugged, before Jason turned to Felicity and hugged her too. It was peculiar, how Oliver had made so many close friendships in so little time since his return.

 

“Felicity Queen!” Jason exclaimed dramatically when he heard the door shut behind him, “I have to say, ARGUS is no fun without you.”

 

“We miss you too, Jason.” Felicity told him, and it was true. As much as Oliver and Felicity had needed to get out of ARGUS, it hadn’t made leaving all the friends that they had made during their time there any easier. Getting to know each other in the circumstances they had to, not knowing if they would all be there for another day, it formed deeper bonds. Bonds that were for life. There was very little that Felicity and Oliver wouldn’t do for the people they’d befriended in ARGUS and vice versa.

 

“Thank you, for the evidence by the way. Shut that douchey-ass judge right up.” Jason told her with a wink, “Now, what can I help you guys with?”

 

Oliver came over to join the conversation with the file with the evidence in his hands, “Jason Brodeur. He got a woman killed and now her husband is on the death row because of it. We have till tonight, and this is all the evidence I could get me hands on.”

 

“The victim told her supervisor about the toxic waste that Jason was dumping into the glades,” Felicity continued, “We can prove that the supervisor perjured himself-”

 

“You’re telling me you have motive, and a witness that will squeal? All I have to do is make him sing?” Jason scoffed, “This is going to be easy as pie.”

 

“It is?” Oliver blinked.

 

“Of course. Not only can I get him for incarceration, but by making Matt Ishtook testify against Brodeur, we can also make him a suspect.” Jason looked up from where he was going through the file at the couple before him, “Don’t worry you guys, I got this.”

 

Oliver slumped back in his seat, trusting Jason to do his job right. It was only as an afterthought that he remembered,

 

“Oh, there was a lawyer before you on the case. A Laurel Lance.”

 

“You mean that chick that works in the CNRI? Saw her on the TV once.” Jason nodded, vaguely remembering the brunette he saw on a local news segment that one time ARGUS had sent him to Starling City. “Don’t worry, I’ll talk to her.”

 

“Yeah. If she doesn’t budge, please tell her that the hood sent you.”

 

Jason laughed, “The Hood? God, Oliver… your codenames are getting worse, ‘Arrow’.” ‘Arrow’ is what Oliver had called himself back in ARGUS. He had felt clever about it for approximately two minutes before Jason and Gerry had started laughing at him for it. Though, it’s not like the man before him had much room to talk,

 

“Whatever, ‘Cyanide’.” Jason glared, and opened his mouth to throw an insult back, but suddenly there was a hand on his chest and a tiny blonde person between him and Oliver,

 

“Alright, boys. Jason, we’re on a bit of a clock here?” Felicity said, turning to him with a brow raised, “As for you, we need to go back to the foundry. I’m gonna need better processing power if I want to find anything more on that warehouse.” She said to Oliver. Both men nodded sheepishly, quickly remembering who was boss no matter what kind of a pissing contest they got into.

 

>\--------|>

 

Oliver and Felicity had only just walked into the foundry when Oliver heard the familiar squeaking of Felicity’s chair being turned. He stopped immediately, tensing and nudging his wife so that she was standing behind him. Silently, he looked around, grabbing one of the heavy steel rods from the stairs, a piece of debris from when he had had to break down multiple walls for his base. They descended slowly, silently, and he was about to reach the bottom step when a familiar voice called out,

 

“Chill. It’s just me.” Oliver relaxed, but frowned. He walked out into the open layout to see Diggle sitting on Felicity’s chair. The man stood up when he saw them, walking over and stopping when there were only a few feet left between them.

 

“Digg. Mom called this morning, told me Robb quit.” Oliver started, though he knew that wasn’t the reason why John was there.

 

“Can’t say I’m surprised, Mr.Queen.”

 

“Is that why you’re here? Want your old job back?” Diggle shrugged,

 

“I’m actually here for the other position.” Diggle looked at the both of them, “You’re right when you say you’re making a difference. And I want to help.”

 

Oliver out stretched his arm, a smile forming on his face, but Diggle’s face was still stern,

 

“Just so I’m clear, I’m not signing up to be a sidekick.”

 

“Of course not.” Oliver said, “Though, more often than not, you might have to do what Felicity tells you to. She has the knack for making people do what she wants.”

 

Diggle looked at the small woman standing beside Oliver, and she gave him a blinding smile. John’s lips twitched in a smile even before she said, “Don’t worry. You won’t even know it’s happening till it’s done.”

 

John laughed, and Felicity's smile softened, turning more genuine as she said, “Welcome to the team, Mr.Diggle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DIGG'S IN!! 
> 
> Jason Miller is an OC who was only lightly mentioned in the previous chapters. For those of you who want a more visual description, I imagine to be pretty similar to Harvey Specter.
> 
> This was a very non-violent chapter, very hood-less. But, there will be a few chapters like this in the future seeing as Oliver does have a job now. This was also a pretty Laurel heavy chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it rather than getting frustrated. It can be a pretty thin line sometimes. 
> 
> I love writing responsible!Oliver so much. It has a lot of season 5/early season 6 Oliver vibes to it. And I know I tweeted this before while writing, but man, the Oliver-Laurel interaction on the show is SOO cringe, ugh! I feel like Katie Cassidy can only decently act when she's playing the bad guy. Her Ruby in supernatural was decent, and so is BS (Annoying but decent). Anyway, 
> 
> If you want to get notified when I update, I'm on twitter @in_enochian. Also, on tumblr @inenochian. I also sometimes do some #amwriting tweets which my lame ass finds hilarious so, follow me there if you want to follow my train of thought while writing.
> 
> -manarshake


	10. Will You Love Me (Even With My Dark Side?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter name is brought to you be Kelly Clarkson's Dark Side (Which I think summarises ARGUS!Olicity perfectly.)
> 
> I have to say, you guys... This was my favourite chapter to write till now. (I might even say it was the best written yet, but the jury's still out on that.) Now, I have good news and bad news. Good news is that now that I'm done with my semester finals, I'll probably have a lot more time to write, so I might end up updating this more than once a week (I also want to finish this cause I'm simultaneously working on an original piece), the bad news is that this would mean that I won't be following a fixed schedule.
> 
> If you still want to keep up with each update, or even my writing process between updates, follow me on twitter @in_enochian or tumblr @inenochian
> 
> That said, thank you so much for all the feedback last chapters. I know it was a bit of a surprise. You guys are so wonderful. Thank you, @sonicaB for saying this is one of your favorite rewrites. I persoanlly love this trope, and have read almost everything this fandom had on season re-writes, so this is big praise.
> 
> @MadameMidnight, I love that you guys loved Jason. He's gonna be sticking around for a couple of chapters ;) He's my first OC (not including Gerry) and I'm so proud of him.
> 
> Last but not the least, I hope you love this chapter as much as I did. Comment below if you were surprised ;) Afterall, I don't want to turn this work into a typical rewrite (no matter how fun they are to read)
> 
> HAPPY READING!

_ If anyone had told a 22 year old Oliver Queen that if he went on that boat trip with his father, he would end up getting stranded on an island filled with murderous mercenaries, would be announced legally dead, and then get recruited by a super-secret government agency after having survived on the said island for 2 long years; he would’ve asked them what they had taken to reach the level of high they were on, and then maybe where he could get it for himself? _

 

_ But, here was 24 year old Oliver Queen, stronger than before but also darker. Smarter than before but also less kind. Here was 24 year old Oliver Queen, the worst version of himself he had ever been, and that was saying something considering that he was talking about a person who had cheated on his girlfriend multiple times, most recently by taking her only sister on a sex vacation, and then gotten said sister killed, all because he hadn’t wanted to commit. _

 

_ Yes, Oliver knows he is a despicable person. _

 

_ At this point he’s given up hope on things becoming better. Yes, he tortures people, and yes, he can’t sleep because all he ever sees when he closes his eyes are slack and bloodied faces of the people he killed, all he can hear in the silence of darkness, are countless screams as he severs nerve after nerve with his arrows, as he pulls nail after nail, breaks finger after finger, cracks rib after rib, but these are things that he’s used to now. The blood on his hands and the demons in his head are familiar.  _

 

_ What he’s not used to is seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.  _

(But he looks at her and he does.)

 

_ What he’s not used to is breathing in full warm breaths. _

(But when she’s close enough to touch, he can breath till his chest is full, and the scent of vanilla stays in his senses for hours.)

 

_ What he isn’t used to is raising his arms not to lash out, but to protect. _

(He’ll protect her though. She’s so precious to him, so pure, he’ll put himself between her and the rest of the world if it meant that she won’t ever have to see any of it’s darkness.)

 

_ He’s not used to being seen with anything other than fear or disdain, _ but she looks at him with nothing of that sort. Her gaze is sometimes curious, slightly teasing, sometimes bright with the smile stretching across her ruby red lips, but always, always clear like summer skies and fresh lakes.

 

Fe-li-ci-ty

 

Sometimes, when he’s alone and feels the darkness creeping in, all he has to do is spell her name, syllable to syllable in his head, and he calms down. She’s like magic to him.

 

_ He meets her at his loneliest, at her most vulnerable. She’s only 20 when they bring her in. Not old enough to drink, but old enough to blackmail targets with all the she can get on them for ARGUS. Oliver wants to kill them all when she’s first introduced.  _

 

_ She’s fidgeting with the sleeves of her ARGUS windbreaker, trying not to make eye-contact with the rest of the staff even as Amanda Walker lists off all her assets as if she’s a kitchen appliance instead of a scared, young woman. Oliver doesn’t approach her when the meeting is dispersed, stays in the same shadows he’s tried to blend into for the past months even as he sees the rest of the staff go over to her to talk. She seems to be calming down with every word she speaks, almost smiling by the time she’s shown to her desk, but Oliver still can’t bring himself to wrap his mind around her bright presence in the midst of the darkest places in the world. _

 

_ It’s another week or two before they talk to each other for the first time. She doesn’t know him, but she’s always there in the very corner of his sight. Ever since she’s become a part of their organisation, Oliver’s seen her weave her magic around the establishment with his very own two eyes. Has watched her make men that are three times her size break into helpless smiles at her antics, has watched women who can put down any of those men down without breaking a sweat look at her with a sort of helpless affection one usually reserves for tiny kittens or eager puppies. _

 

_ Oliver himself tries to keep his distance. She overwhelms him as it is and she hasn’t even addressed him. He doesn’t want to think what would happen if he ever had to make a conversation with her. Turns out, he doesn’t need to wait for too long. He gets called into Room 201 on a Thursday, and when he enters through the doorway, he freezes when he sees her sitting there at the conference table. Of course there are other people there. There is Amanda Waller, there is Gerry from the forensics department, and Jason Miller from the legal team, and Hailey Parker whos their government liason, but Oliver can’t bring himself to look away from the blonde woman sitting in front of a laptop, wearing a cute pink button up and even brighter pink lip (She’s the most color he’s seen in years). _

 

_ That is, until she smiles at him. _

 

_ Oliver looks away so fast at that, it makes him feel ridiculous. As it is, he can feel his heart thundering in his chest (he can carve a live human without flinching, but this woman’s smile makes him feel like he’s just run a marathon), can feel his face heating up, a foreign rushing sort of sensation at the base of his stomach. He concentrates all his energy in keeping his face blank, his feet firmly planted, and deliberately only looks at Amanda Waller as he says, _

 

_ “You summoned?” Amanda rolls her eyes, but nods. _

 

_ “Mr. Queen, yes. Please, take a seat.” _

 

_ He gives the table a glance, and goes out of his way to sit next to Gerry instead of behaving normally and sitting next to Felicity whos closest to him. Nobody comments, but he can see Amanda’s lip twitch for a miniscule of a moment before it’s a calm facade of a commander again. _

 

_ “Now that everyone’s here. Gerry, will you please tell us what you found?” _

 

_ “Of course.” Gerry stands up, clearing his throat and pressing a button on the tiny controller so that white screen at the end of the room comes alive with an autopsy report, “This is Roger Stanley, a multi millionaire who was killed last wednesday in his office. Alone. The only other person who came in direct contact with him that day was Henry Williams.” _

 

_ Gerry switches the screen to a rather sophisticated looking man in his late 40s, wearing a tux and a plastic smile, “Henry Williams of course denies any involvement. It doesn’t help that Stanley’s time of death was reported to be 5 hours after his meeting with Williams.” Gerry turns towards the room, “The state forensics department didn’t find anything, but after extensive research on a 2 day old corpse-” Here, Gerry makes a rather disgusted face, and Oliver can honestly say he sympathizes, “- I found a very rare poison in his gastrointestinal system. Zaroch is a slow killing poison. It first paralysis the body, then the victim loses his ability to speak, hear, see, in that order, and then finally, they can’t breathe.” _

 

_ Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Felicity look away when Gerry shows them the picture of the victim, and for the millionth time, the urge to protect her from all this gore rises in him. But, in the next moment, she surprises him by sitting up straighter in her seat, taking a deep breath and then facing the presentation head-on. _

 

Huh. _ He thinks, and then turns back to the screen himself, feeling oddly satisfied.  _

 

_ “Zorach is pretty much untraceable and by the time we try to send the poison sample into evidence, the last of it would have evaporated. And Gerry Williams is a powerful man. According to Miller, if we want to catch this guy, we’re going to need actual solid proof that he bought Zorach.” _

 

_ “And this is where you two come in.” Amanda begins, indicating both Oliver and Felicity. Oliver blinks, and completely involuntarily, his gaze snaps over to Felicity, only to find her looking at him with the same surprise. _

 

_ “Ms. Cutler, it seems Mr.Williams keeps all of his more… incriminating records completely offline. We’re going to need your skills in the field this time.” Amanda says, and turns to look at Oliver, “And Mr. Queen, Williams is a high profile target. He’s going to have the best security at his hands.” She then looks at the both of them in turn. No matter what you say about Amanda Waller, the woman knows how to capture someone’s attention and then keep it for as long as it pleases her, “You both are the best we have in your respective fields. I need this operation to go flawlessly and fast.” _

 

_ Hailey gets up from where she had been sitting quietly till now. She passes two briefcases, one to each of them, “You’ll be going undercover as Mr Dean and Mrs Emma Smith to a charity gala Henry Williams is hosting this Saturday at his house. Your briefcases contain everything you’ll need, including the invitation, the clothes, and your respective fake identities’ background information.” _

 

_ “Any questions?” Amanda asks while she stands up. It’s rhetoric of course. She always makes sure that she explains the operation perfectly, and anybody who raises his hand anyway gets to work overtime for the next two months instead. Predictably, everybody keeps their mouth shut, and then filters out slowly after Waller leaves till there’s only Felicity and himself left. _

 

_ He doesn’t want to be alone with her, but he’s also reluctant to leave her. Oliver hasn’t had to deal with so much inner conflict in a while now, but his decision is made for him when Felicity walks over to stand in front of him, _

 

_ “Hi. I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced. Felicity Cutter.” He gulps. Wipes his palm on his cargo pants discreetly before taking her hand in his, _

 

_ “Oliver Queen.” He says, and curses himself for sounding so gruff.  _

 

_ “Oh, I know.” Felicity beams, and then shakes her head as if embarrassed, “I mean, I read about you when you were.. You know? Alive?” Now it’s Oliver’s turn to be embarrassed, but she doesn’t stop there, shutting her eyes close when she realises how that sounded. “I mean, you’re alive now. Of course you are. You don’t need me to tell you that. I just meant-” _

 

_ “Fe-li-ci-ty.” He squeezes her hand that’s still holding his. This time, his voice comes out soft. Slow, as if dragging every syllable against his tongue. She blinks up at him, so hypnotizing that Oliver almost, almost leans in- _

 

_ “Felicity!” They both jump at the third voice. There’s a woman standing in the now open doorway, unfamiliar to him, but someone Felicity clearly knows. Oliver takes his hand back fast, clasping both of them at his back as he straightens his posture so that he isn’t looming over her. God, how did he not hear the footsteps? Or even the door open? _

 

_ The woman’s face is slightly pink as she looks from Oliver to Felicity to back at him. He tries not to fidget. She turns to Felicity at last, _

 

_ “The new program you wrote? We got a match.” _

 

_ “I’ll be right there.” Felicity replies with her ever present smile, and Oliver’s sure that he only imagines her face reddening as she collects her things, only imagines her glancing back at him before moving towards the doorway, only imagines her brief pause, her half-turn jerk as if wanting to say something, before she leaves. _

 

_ Oliver breaths out slowly. He’s dreading Saturday. At the same time, Saturday couldn’t come soon enough. _

 

>\--------|>

 

_ Saturday comes with sleep deprivation and the same strange sense of rushing in his stomach. Oliver refuses to call it what it is. Refuses to think why he’s feeling it. Instead, he spends the majority of the morning and half of the afternoon working out his nerves. He tries to convince himself that it’s just the assignment that has him restless, but it’s weak even for him, considering the operation sounds like a piece of cake compared to what he usually works on. He delays going to the Helipad that will take them to Belgium for as long as he can, only going to take a shower when Amanda calls for both him and Felicity to the roof in twenty minutes on the PA system. _

 

_ Felicity’s waiting for him in the helicopter, her hands keeping an ironclad grip on her own knees. Oliver clears his throat, tries not to feel awkward in the face of her obvious nervousness, but it’s hard. Because by the way she’s sucked her bottom lip in her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut, it almost looks like she’s going to cry any second now. Slowly, he reaches out, ghosts his fingers lightly over her white knuckles; the action makes her jerk, her eyes bright when they look at him. _

 

_ “It’s alright.” Oliver says, tries to keep his voice both loud so that he can be heard over the noise of the rotor blades and the engine but at the same time non-threatening, “We have a parachute in case things go sideways.” Only after the words have left him does he realize that they weren’t exactly helpful, but the ridiculous statement makes Felicity laugh just a little, and Oliver decides the tiny bulb of embarrassment pulsing at the base of his throat is worth it. _

 

_ “Thank you.” She smiles at him openly now. And for the rest of the ride, he tries to keep talking to her. It’s not very effective. He’s not used to making conversation. But, she seems to appreciate his efforts. Babbles out a long winded reply for every sentence he speaks, and they manage to keep themselves distracted. Felicity, from her fear of heights, and Oliver from that increasingly familiar rushing sensation in his gut.  _

 

_ The receptionist smiles at the pair of them when they reach the Renaissance Brussels Hotel, a four star hotel deep in the city of Brussels, and only 20 minutes away from their target site, Henry William’s mansion. Oliver has to say, he’s surprised at how well Felicity’s keeping her composure. He knows that it’s her first time out in the field, and this is a rather high profile operation, but she seems to be taking it all in tandem. Her steps are sure-footed, head raised just so in aloofness as she walks beside him, keeping up with his stride, and they reach the front desk together. _

 

_ “We have a booking under Smith?” He asks politely, and after a minute of going through the records on her desktop, the woman’s smile brightens at them, _

 

_ “Of course.” She hands them the key card, “Here you go, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. On behalf of the Renaissance Brussels, we really hope you enjoy your honeymoon.” _

 

_ Oliver freezes, feels himself going red, beside him, Felicity chokes on air. _ __   
_. _ __   
_. _ _   
_ __ Honeymoon?!?

 

_ “Um… thank you.” Oliver manages to stutter out, grabs Felicity’s arm (because the idea of holding her hand terrifies him) and pulls her towards the elevator. It’s 10 in the evening, and the lobby is sparsely populated.  They’re the only two people in the elevator when it finally does arrive, and both are too busy avoiding each other’s eyes to realise how flustered the other is. Oliver shouldn’t be surprised by what he sees when he enters their hotel room, but he still is. Of course it’s the honeymoon suite. It’s typical in it’s cheesiness, with a singular circular bed, red satin sheets and white petals strewn all over the bedspread. He hears Felicity squeak somewhere behind him, and Oliver himself wants to hit whoever is responsible for this over their head. He doesn’t know who would go to all this trouble though. It’s not like he and Felicity are even staying the night… They might have booked the suite for a couple days for appearance sake, but they’ll leave sometime tonight after they’ve gotten what they came for. _

 

_ Oliver turns to look at her when he hears her clear her throat. She looks red in the face, and Oliver would sympathise if he wasn’t in the same boat. _

 

_ “I’m sorry, this is my fault-” _

 

_ “So, this might be my fault-” _

 

_ They begin at the same time, and then stop. She looks at him, her eyes wide, and he’s sure that he’s looking at her with the same astonishment, _

 

_ “What do you mean, your fault?” Felicity squeaks out, and Oliver huffs, looking away; _

 

_ “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.” He tells her, but what he really means to say is that there is no way Amanda Waller didn’t realise that he’s become rather attached to the idea of her, and this is her way of screwing with him. _

 

_ “Oh.” Felicity says absent-mindedly because what she’s really thinking is that with the way she’s been acting since yesterday, there is no way that Hailey doesn’t know about her silly little crush on Oliver and this is her way of encouraging Felicity to ‘hit it!’ (her words). _

 

_ They take in the rest of the cliched room in silence, trying not to cringe when they see the petals from the bed forming a path all the way into the bathroom, stopping right in front of the frankly huge tiger-claw bathtub. There is chocolate and wine on the raised platform next to the tub, and bottles of essential oils lining the ledge. Oliver looks down at his watch in an effort to stop thinking about all the honeymoon-y things that his mind is conjuring and sighs in relief when he sees that they should start preparing for the mission. _

 

_ “We have to be at the gala in 2 hours.” He tells Felicity, his voice compensating the professionalism that is lacking in their surroundings. It makes him sound curt, but at the moment, he’s thankful for that abruptness. “You can take the bathroom to get ready. I’ll change here.” _

 

_ “Okay.” Felicity nods and grabs the garment bag her dress is in and her make-up purse. She hasn’t had the chance to actually see what her dress looks like, but she’s sure that it’s elaborate enough so that she can easily hide her tech and a handgun in the folds while at the same time easy to move in in case they need to run. _

 

_ It takes Oliver 15 minutes to put on his tux. Another 10 to hide all the weapons he’ll be  bringing with him. There’s a handgun strapped on each of his ankles, a dagger strapped onto his chest hidden by the blazer. He stuffs extra magazines where ever he can so that he doesn’t run out of ammo. He misses the bow and arrow that are his usual go-to for operations like these, but they’re also hardly inconspicuous. If only someone could make a bow that folded enough to fit in his pocket or something. _

 

_ He passes the rest of the time Felicity takes to get ready going through blueprints. He memorizes each hallway, each nook and cranny just in case they ever need to run. He knows that no matter what, his priority during this mission has to be Felicity, fuck what Waller says. As long as she comes out the other side unharmed, Oliver would consider it a success. _

 

_ Behind him, the bathroom latch unlocks, and almost absentmindedly, Oliver turns around, only to stop dead mid turn-- _

 

_ Oh. _

  
  


_ He takes a sharp breath in, gulps futilely to gain back some moisture in his mouth, but for the love of God, how is he supposed to concentrate on this operation when she’s going to be standing beside him, wearing that, looking like that- _

 

_ She looks- _

 

_ Blood rushes in his head. She looks- _

 

_ “I know. It’s a bit much, isn’t it?” Felicity says, giving him a sheepish smile, and Oliver can’t for the life of him bring himself to utter a word. He shakes his head silently (a bit too vehemently maybe but Felicity’s smile makes up for it) and instead he changes the subject- _

 

(Years later, when they’re getting married, and Felicity looks so beautiful in white it almost makes him cry, he’ll tell her in his vows how, when he first saw her in that dress she wore for that gala during their very first mission together, She had looked to him like light personified itself.)

 

_ “Anyway, We should get going. Here.” He passes her a comm unit, “Should we go through the strategy again?” _

 

_ “Oliver. Relax. We spent the entire car ride here going through it. I won’t mess up, I promise.” Oliver frowns, this isn’t about her messing up. _

 

_ “I don’t care about that. I just need you to be safe.” He turns to look at her properly, making sure she’s taking him seriously, “Your first priority needs to be you. If something goes wrong, I would like you to run. No matter what happens.” _

 

_ Felicity blinks up at him for a moment, speechless, and then smiles, slowly and slightly self-deprecatingly, “I’m not as weak or as naive as I look, Oliver. I can handle myself. This isn’t my first rodeo.” _

 

_ Oliver doesn’t know what she means by that exactly. As far as Oliver knows, this is her first time in the field. But, he has a feeling she won’t answer him if he asked, so instead he just nods, and motions her to lead the way out of the room. _

 

_ The first thing Felicity does when they cross the mansion’s threshold after giving in their invitation is grab Oliver’s sleeve, pulling him down till she has her lips against his ear and whisper-yells, _

 

_ “He has a fracking pool in his foyer!!” It makes Oliver laugh even as he ignores the tingling where her breath hit his skin. It’s only a few moments later, when Felicity’s been sufficiently distracted from the decor by sparkling champagne that he realises that he _ laughed _. _

 

_ Oh. _

 

_ They’re met by a lady in a sparkling black dress when they walk over to the ballroom in search of their target. The plan is simple. Oliver is to clear a path silently for Felicity to reach Henry Williams’ study, where she will download everything and anything that would help them to build a case against him. But, the security will be at its tightest at the start of the event. To make the job easier, they had decided to spend some time fake-mingling with all the other guests. Felicity smiles at the woman who seems to be making rounds of the room and introducing herself, _

 

_ “Forgive me, I don’t think I recognize any of you. I’m Lisa Cardel. I’m a journalist from Rockwell Times, covering tonight’s gala. You two don’t really seem native.” _

  


_ “Oh, we’re not.” Felicity says slowly, with a fake little laugh at the end, and Oliver blinks at her in surprise. She’s really good at this. He’s getting more and more curious about her comment about this not being her first rodeo, “Me and my husband Dean came all the way from America.” She places a stroking hand on his chest, and the professional smile on his lips freezes on his face, “Our fathers were good friends’ of Henry’s.” _

 

_ Lisa Cardel makes a little ‘Ah!’ sound as if she’s understood everything, but Oliver knows that she’s got a billion more questions, _

 

_ “Well, I have to say. You two make a very striking couple. And married so young too!” Another round of fake smiles and polite chuckles pass between them when Oliver squeezes Felicity’s waist, where his hand has been since the beginning of the evening, to get her attention, _

 

_ “I think I see Mr. William right there. It was a pleasure to meet you, Ms.Cardel, but we must say our greetings.” Oliver starts moving away even as Lisa Cardel stutters out a startled ‘of course’. _

 

_ “Waller told us not to engage with Williams.” Felicity hisses at him, even as she follows his lead without complain, _

 

_ “We’re not going to. But, we can’t appear in the newspapers either.” _

 

_ “Oh. Smart.” She takes a tiny sip from her champagne, looks to her left where the wide windows show the beautiful city of Brussels at it’s finest, “You have to admit, though. This city is beautiful. I want to come back, someday. Maybe without the whole secret agent thing.” _

 

_ Oliver snorts involuntarily, “Yeah, that’s not happening.” Felicity frowns at him,  _

 

_ “Wow. Pessimistic much?” He sighs, not wanting to take this from her, but he knows what unrealistic hopes do to people. He’d rather she’d get used to what her life is going to be from now on, _

 

_ “It’s just… You’re at ARGUS now.” _

 

_ “People at ARGUS do get vacations.” _

 

_ “Not when they’re as valuable as you and me.” He turns away from the view to look at her, “How did you end up here anyway? If you don’t mind me asking.” She hesitates for a moment, and Oliver’s about to apologize for being nosy, after all, there is no way he would tell her about the island, but she shakes her head before he can, _

 

_ “I just… well, the short version is that I fell into the wrong crowd.” She avoids his eye before continuing, “Or more like, was born into the wrong crowd.” _

 

_ His curiosity rises, but he doesn’t prod. He knows how difficult talking about the past can be. She’s already braver than him for telling him as much as she did. The next twenty or so minutes they spend near the hor devours, talking about things Oliver can’t remember later because all he can see when he closes his eyes and concentrate is the tiny dimple that forms on Felicity’s left cheek when he makes her smile hard enough, or how there is this one tendril of hair that fall out of her updo no matter how many times she tucks it behind her ear, or how her eyes always flash something cheeky moments before everytime she makes a joke, knowing at the very least, she’ll get a smile out of him, at most, a genuine laugh. _

 

_ His soul whispers to his heart, ‘I’ve never felt like this before’ and his brain admonishes his corniness, but then his soul whispers to his brain, ‘I’ve never felt like this before.’ and suddenly, his mind’s gone quiet. _

 

_ Soon enough, the party guests are all well on their way to tipsy, and Felicity and Oliver silently make their way over to the second floor. Just like they’d thought, the security is sparse at this point, most of them having let their guard down. Oliver quickly takes care of the ones that are still alert, and keeps watch at the door when Felicity enters the study room. _

 

_ She comes out two minutes later with a wide, relieved smile on her face, and Oliver finds himself returning it effortlessly, _

 

_ “We’re done?” He asks, _

 

_ “We’re done.” She confirms. _

 

_ When they walk downstairs, they’re brimming with the adrenaline they didn’t really get to burn off, but trying not to show it. Oliver is sure this is going to be his easiest mission yet when alarms start going off in the middle of the party, guards in bullet-proof vests and armed with machine guns hurrying to block off all the exits. _

 

_ “Shit.” Oliver curses at the same time he hears Felicity mutter, “Crap.” _

 

_ In any other situation, he would find it absolutely adorable how she absolutely refuses to swear. _

 

_ Oliver grabs her arm firmly, pulling her till she’s shielded behind him. Out of the corner of his eyes, he sees her reaching inside the slit of her dress for her ARGUS issued handgun, gripping it tightly but hiding it in the folds of her dress. The rest of the party is in mass panic, but Oliver ignores them. Like he had said before, he has one priority, and that is to get Felicity out of here unharmed. Before the guards have enough time to organize a formation, Oliver reaches into his coat, grabs the dagger and throws it into the nearest one’s chest. The man drops like a fly, and Oliver takes advantage of that brief distraction and crouches down to grab the two guns strapped at his ankles. He hears Felicity firing shot after shot beside him, incapacitating the guards but not going in for the kill. _

 

_ He’s not that merciful with his targets. _

 

_ They make a run for it, having each other’s backs and shooting anyone who’d want to shoot at them first. It’s complete chaos, and Oliver gets grazed twice, a scrape on his thigh, and another flesh wound on his bicep from pushing Felicity away from the line of fire. _

 

_ It takes them 7 minutes to get out of there and into their car, and it’s only once they’re on the highway back to their hotel, breathing hard but alive, that he feels Felicity’s fingers hover lightly over his wounded arm, _

 

_ “You got shot.” She sounds like she’s about to cry, and Oliver doesn’t think, just pulls the car to the side and turns to her, placing a hand on her cheek, and making sure that she’s listening, he tells her, “Hey, it’s nothing. Everything’s fine. You’re safe.” _

 

_ She gives him a watery smile, and Oliver has to actively stop himself from tracing it with his fingers. Instead, he breathes out, and slowly, he takes her hand in his, squeezes her fingers gently before letting go and then forces himself to focus on driving them back to their hotel. Felicity’s dress is a mess by that point. The fabric covered with soot and burns mark from bullet holes that thankfully never touched her skin. Her updo too is falling apart, pieces of hair falling over her face and making her look so much more innocent than he’s starting to realise she is. Thankfully, the reception area itself is deserted, it’s the middle of the night after all, and they only get a few odd glances from the staff who probably just think they had crazy car sex or something equally ridiculous. Oliver doesn’t let himself think too much about the scenarios that are probably running through their heads. _

 

_ He can tell Felicity is bone tired by the time they reach the hotel room, and while the initial plan had been to leave right after completing the mission, he himself can’t imagine getting on a plane in his state. _

 

_ “I’m gonna go get you some bandages.” Felicity tells him over her shoulder, walking over to the bathroom. Oliver doesn’t bother protesting, instead going over to sit on that ridiculous circular bed with a groan. She comes out a minute later, her face clear of makeup and hair completely down, though she’s still wearing the wrinkled dress. It makes for a ridiculously domestic picture, and Oliver gulps when she walks over settles onto her knees in front of him. They’re pretty much of the same height in this position, and he has to remind himself to breath periodically when she leans closer to inspect the bruise on his cheek he got in a random fist fight. She pursues her lips, wincing with him as she places a cold patch on the injured area. Then she leans back and lifts his pant sleeve where a bullet had grazed his calf. She grimaces while she cleans the cut, her touch so gentle, if it weren’t for the tingles lighting his skin, he wouldn’t even be able to tell. After that is done, she looks up at him with her cheeks pink, _

 

_ “Um, could you… remove your shirt?” Oliver’s face heats in response, but he does what she tells him to. His body is covered in scars, and he looks away as he pulls the dress shirt off so that he doesn’t have to look at her shocked face.  _

 

_ “Oh.” He hears her breathe out, but there’s something different in her tone, something unexpected. He turns to look at her again only to find her eyes fixated on his abs, wide and unmoving. _

 

_ Oliver is grinning before he even knows it. _

 

_ “Fe-li-ci-ty,” He calls softly, and her eyes jerk up to meet his, her already pink face reddening even further, _

 

_ “Right.” She squeaks, turns her attention to the wound on his arm. She ghosts her fingers over the flesh, grimaces and then picks up the sutures from the first aid kit. _

 

_ Apparently, the wound is deep enough to require stitches. _

 

_ Her face is only inches away from his while she works on his bicep, and even though he knows he should, he does nothing to lean back and away so that they aren’t invading each other’s space anymore. Instead, he breathes in the vanilla she smells like, and feels himself calm down further with each inhale. She stares at the stitches when she’s done, as if they’ll disappear any moment, but Oliver’s pretty sure they will scar instead. _

 

_ It’s the one scar he knows he will always be proud of. _

 

_ “Thank you.” Felicity tells him softly. Her smile is warm. She is warm. “For quite literally taking a bullet for me.” _

 

_ Oliver shrugs, says nothing. His hands clench and unclench around his shirt. Felicity doesn’t seem to mind his non-response. She just keeps smiling at him even as she gets up, _

 

_ “You can use the bathroom. I’m done.” She tells him while making her way to her small peach-orange carry-on. Oliver stands, and limps over to the bathroom, taking his sleep clothes on the way. By the time he’s done brushing his teeth and cleaning up, Felicity’s already in bed, her red dress on the floor. He stops dead in his tracks, and is about to make his way towards the couch when she breaks the silence, _

 

_ “I don’t mind sharing, Oliver.” She calls out. Oliver’s heart stops dead in his chest, _

 

_ “Uhh…” He replies eloquently, _

 

_ “See, I even made a pillow wall in the middle so I don’t accidently cuddle you in the middle of the night.” Felicity continues, showing off the line of pillows dividing the bed in two, _

 

_ “I don't want to make you uncomfortable.” Oliver starts, what he doesn’t tell her is that he absolutely wouldn’t mind if she wanted to latch onto him for the rest of his life. _

 

_ “Like I said, I’m fine with it. Come on Oliver, there is no way the couch is going to be comfortable for either of us. I think the both of us deserve a good night of sleep after tonight.” _

 

_ Oliver doesn’t protest further. Just silently lies down on the other side of the pillow wall. He keeps the fact that he’s sure he won’t get a blink of sleep because he’s heart is beating too heavily to be natural to himself. _

 

>\-------|>

 

_ Two days later, with minimum contact between them, Felicity’s almost given up on her crush on Oliver Queen going anywhere when he shows up at her cubicle, _

 

_ “Oliver!” Felicity exclaims when she sees the man fidgeting nervously in front of her, “What can I help you with today?” _

 

_ Oliver looks at everywhere but her when he speaks, “There’s this new Italian place that opened up last Thursday down the block.” _

 

_ “Yeah. I heard about it. Supposed to be super-romantic or something. What about it?” If it’s even possible, Oliver’s cheek turn even redder, _

 

_ “You- you like Italian, don’t you? Everybody likes Italian.” _

 

_ “Sure, I love Italian-” He cuts her off, _

 

_ “Would you like to go to dinner with me?” Felicity’s breath hitches, _

 

_ “Oh.” She peers at him closely, takes in his adorably nervous manner, how he keeps wiping his hands against his pants, how he fidgets, how his eyes glance at her for a moment and then skitter away, “Oliver, I don’t want to read too much into this, but are you… Are you asking me out on a date? Like an actual date? Like a date-date?” _

 

_ Oliver ducks his head down, scratches his head, “Sure. The- The implication of the dinner being that we- that you-” _

 

_ “Oliver.” She stops him from babbling, “Usually I’m the one speaking in sentence fragments.” _

_ Her teasing lightens the nerves bubbling in his stomach, makes him smile, and he finds enough confidence to give himself that extra push- _

 

_ “Felicity, would you like to go to dinner with me?” _

 

_ “Yes.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Umph, my heart!! Felicity's dress is soo pretty. I believe the designer's name is Teuta Matoshi Duriqi. Check them on on their instagram or tumblr. They make beautiful gowns.
> 
> So... This was a whole 6k of flashback. They can get really annoying on the show (especially season 1 ones) but I thought this necessary. Let me know if you liked it, and if you'd want me to write more of them. I loved exploring baby!Olicity, just because how different they are from the usual married!Olicity. 
> 
> Also, Oliver's is soo nervous and shy and cute smh
> 
> I also introduced another OC (I'm on a roll whatcanisay?) I really want to write more of Gerry and Jason and Hailey. I hope I get to do that in the future. For those who were wondering where Oliver and Felicity were during their time in ARGUS, they were working in the Hong Kong branch, though they did travel quite a lot for missions (like Belgium, which is a beautiful country ohmygod) 
> 
> Also, if you were wondering, Oliver taking a bullet for felicity was paralleled slightly with the scene where he got shot trying to save Felicity from the count. It's also the same general area where he got Felicity's name tattooed in Russian in a band. (I love parallels if you haven't noticed)
> 
> As always, thankyou for reading. Leave KUDOS and FEEDBACK! They make me so happy! Also, If you wanna talk, you'll find me on twitter @in_enochian and tumblr @inenochian (I know my DMs were disabled for quite some time (didn't know that was a thing) but they're open now.)


	11. If I Had A Phobia (It Will Be Losing Ya')

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***DISCLAIMER:: SOME OF THE SCENES IN THIS CHAPTER AREN'T GOING TO BE ACCURATE. I DID DO SOME RESEARCH, BUT I'M NOT A LAW STUDENT. IN FACT, THE CLOSEST THING TO A DEGREE I HAVE IS THE FOUR SEASONS OF SUITS I BINGED WATCHED 2 YEARS AGO ON A LONG WEEKEND. PLEASE DON'T GET BUTTHURT OVER IT. IT'S FANFIC. JUST SHH AND ENJOY THE ROAST***
> 
> Y'all, I had a bitch of a headache all day today (Probably dehydration cause I was fasting) so I took a tiny nap in the evening, but then I woke up cause our neighbour was rining the doorbell like crazy, and that just made the headache worse. 
> 
> It made editing a bitch.
> 
> But, the chapter is here. Edited and proof read. I remember having so much fun reading this. Very Jason heavy, but for all those of you who missed Tommy and Thea, well, you'll like this. And the chapter that comes after it.
> 
> Also, heavy Laurel and Quentin Bashing. Don't get me wrong, I love quentin. But, we all know how much of a douche he was in season 1, and I can't change that part of this au no matter how much I try. 
> 
> Now, Last chapter's response was AMAZING! I never thought that the flash back would go over so well, (though I have to admit, that my writing in it was some of my best yet) thank you for all the feedback. 
> 
> People who loved the dress, I left the name of the designer in the notes of the last chapter. Show some love of their social.
> 
> @Newsies73, I have no idea if the dress is practical or not, and I'm a girl. But, it had a slit, which i guess should make it technically easier to move in, and felicity needed the layers to hide all her tech. Though, tbf, if anyone could pull off a full skirt while running for their life, it would be felicity smoak.
> 
> @CaptainSammyAngel, the actual ARGUS HQ is in Washington DC (where Lyla works), Oliver and Feliicty and the rest of their crew mainly worked in Hong Kong whenever they weren't travelling for assignments. They haven't officially met Agent Michaels yet, though I'm sure with how level all of them are, both parties would've at least heard about each other.
> 
> So, I might also end up posting all these ARGUS flashbacks seperately and turning this work into a series. I won't be deleting them from here, but there will another work with just the flashbacks, kinda like a prequel for those who don't want a season re-write but an ARGUS au. Should I?
> 
> Anyway, HAPPY READING!

Quentin Lance was on a warpath. The CCTV footage than they had gathered from the exchange building last week had clearly shown Oliver Queen taking out a duffle bag of sorts from an empty trash bin and carrying up the stairs. Only, the only people who should’ve been at the exchange building during that time frame were the shooter and the vigilante, the hood.

 

They had been able to identify the shooter as an international hired gun, Floyd Lawton, or as he liked to call himself, Deadshot. That only left Oliver Queen as the Hood, which in Quentin’s opinion, would explain a lot. An opinion he was alone in as it seems because even before he could actually cross the doorway to the bullpen, all gung-ho to arrest that Queen boy’s ass, he was stopped by his partner,

 

“Quentin, I need you to keep a clear head in this. We can’t be making accusations like these without any evi-”

 

“We have evidence!” Quentin yelled, snatching his arm away from Harrison’s grip,

 

“That video is at best circumstantial. We need to tread lightly. Whatever Oliver Queen was in the past, he’s been nothing but a respectable businessman ever since he came back. A wealthy and influential one at that. The captain will have our heads on a stake if we are wrong about this.”

 

“Well then,” Quinten hissed, “It’s a good thing we aren’t going to be wrong about this.”

  
  


Oliver, Felicity and Diggle had only just gotten out of the foundry, having made plans for an early evening meal at the Big Belly Burger when the heard the sirens yelling all around the building. Felicity jumped, reaching out and grabbing oliver’s shirt sleeve in surprise. Diggle paused, jaw set hard as he looked out at the police cars coming to a stop in front of them. Detective Quentin Lance got out of the first one, 

 

“Oliver Queen,” His tone was nasty, and instantly Felicity’s grip on her husband tightened, even though whatever was happening right now was all going to Oliver’s plan, “I’m placing you under arrest. It would be in your best interest to come quietly.”

 

“On what charges, detective? Last time I checked, getting out of my office early to spend time with a couple of friends was hardly a criminal offence.” Oliver replied with that same degree of aloofness that he knew grated on the detective’s nerves. Truth was, he couldn’t help but be a little nervous. After all, getting arrested so close to the foundry was not in the plan. The last thing he needed was for Lance to get suspicious of his whereabouts. As if almost reading his mind, Lance looked around,

 

“Fancy place to be meeting friends at, isn’t it?” He gave both Felicity and Diggle a cursory glance before roughly shoving Oliver around to cuff his hands behind his back, “I’m arresting you under multiple accounts of obstruction of justice, aggravated assault-”

 

“Oliver-” Diggle started, but stopped when Felicity placed a light hand on his chest. She gave him a barely there shake of head. As it was, Quentin didn’t lose his stride, “Trespassing and acting as a Vigilante.” He continued. Oliver gritted his teeth against the rough treatment, trying not to let his temper bubble up to the surface when the detective shoved him around,

 

“You’re out of your damn mind, detective.” Lance ignored him. Instead motioning his subordinates to go ahead into the factory building,

 

“We will also be searching the premises-” Lance started to say, but was cut off by a voice at his left,

 

“No you will not. Not without a warrant.” Felicity said, her voice steel. Lance blinked at the tiny woman, raised a brow when he saw where her hand was twisted in Oliver’s shirt fabric,

 

“Now, little lady, this isn’t a conversation. And even if it was, you wouldn’t be a part of it.”

 

Felicity bristled at his condescending tone, and Oliver felt his lip twitch in a smile when he saw Felicity straighten up. She let go of his shirt to cross her arms over her chest, the look in her eyes reminding him of all those times she had intimidated hardened criminals to give her whatever she wanted from them just with her brain and a few keystrokes. Lance was facing Felicity Queen at her finest. And Oliver had no doubt in his mind as to who was going to win this battle,

 

“It’s the law, detective. If you want to search these premises, I highly advise you to get a warrant. Before that, neither you, nor any of your men are stepping a foot into this building.”

 

Quentin gritted his teeth in frustration, letting go of Oliver for a moment so that he could get into the strange woman’s face. It was one of his favorite intimidation techniques because it almost always worked like a charm, only the woman in front of him didn’t even flinch,

“And who’re you to tell me what I should and shouldn’t do?” Felicity gave him a sweet smile, an innocent little tilt of her head which was just condescending more than anything else,

 

“Felicity Smoak. The owner of the property you’re trying to illegally ransack.” Quentin opened his mouth to retort. After all, he could hardly have his men hear him being accused of  _ ransacking _ , but Ms. Smoak didn’t let him start, “A warrant, detective. I would be happy to accommodate you once you have those court papers.” She gave him a cold smile, all shark teeth and no feeling, “Though, with all these wild accusations you’re throwing around, I do have to warn you, we’ll have won this case by the time you even walk into the courthouse.”

 

“I have video evidence-” Quentin started again, no way he was letting a tiny woman have the last word. He had a reputation after all,

 

“And if that was enough, you wouldn’t be being this stubborn about searching the building.” She cut him off again. Lance almost growled in frustration, turned to grab Oliver Queen again, only to find the man openly grinning at the blonde,

 

“I’d wipe that look of my face if I were you, Queen. You’re still very much arrested.” He growled out. Oliver just gave him a cheeky wink,

 

“Not for too long, if Felicity has anything to say about it, I’m sure.” He looked at the blonde woman all soft and fluffy, and Lance almost gagged at the looked they shared between them,

 

“Of course.” Felicity told him, and gave him a tiny smile that only thinly veiled the worry she was feeling for him, “I’ll call Jason right away.”

 

Quentin didn’t bother asking who this Jason character was. As it was, this arrest hadn’t gone the way he had been planning to. Oliver Queen looked too calm about everything happening for Quentin to stay calm, there was also Felicity Smoak to consider. Who was she? And what did Oliver Queen mean to her?

 

>\--------|>

 

“I want to see my son!” Oliver heard his mother shout on the other side of the interrogation room. And even when Moira Queen yelled, she did it with grace and sophistication. The beat cop stationed outside the interrogation room only had a few seconds to warn detective Lance about Moira’s arrival before the woman herself barged in, disrupting the detective’s interrogation,

 

“We’re in the middle of an interrogation, Mrs. Queen. You can’t just walk in here like this.” Quentin sneered, “This isn’t one of your galas.”

 

“Detective Lance,” Moira seethed, “I knew you hated my family, but never did I think that you would stoop so low as to arrest my son without any grounds whatsoever!”

 

“Oh, I have grounds! I have evidence!”

 

“And you can present that evidence to Oliver Queen’s attorney when he gets here.” Walter spoke calmly from behind Moira. The woman’s presence had loomed so largely over Quentin’s seated self that he hadn’t even noticed Walter Steele. Immediately, Lance stood up even as Walter continued, “Until then, this interrogation is over, detective.”

 

Lance was getting so fucking tired of civilians telling him when to do his job. He wanted to yell. He really, really wanted to yell at all of them to get out so that he could break Oliver Queen into confessing all of his crimes, the least of them being the murder of his fucking daughter.

 

But, he’s following the law. It’s the one thing he’s prided himself on after losing his wife to his alcoholism and his only living daughter to his job. So, instead he scoffs, very reluctantly tells the Queens that they have ‘15 minutes’, and storms out of there.

 

“It seems Detective Lance is on a personal vendetta.” Moira observes when they’re all finally alone. Walter sighs but agrees silently.

 

“Yes. He blames me for killing his daughter.” Oliver mustres all the incredulity he can in his voice before continuing, “He also thinks I spend my nights running around in green leather and shooting people.  _ With arrows _ .” He emphasizes,

 

“Well, the important thing for us to do right now is to call the lawyers.” Walter says.

 

Oliver turns to him, gives him a significant look as he says, “I want Felicity Smoak. She will know who to call.”

 

Walter hesitates only a moment before nodding, but Moira frowns,

 

“And who is this, Felicity Smoak?”

 

“She’s Oliver’s girlfriend.” Walter says, and rushes to add further because Moira looks like she’s about to scoff at her son’s insane request, “I’ve met her. She’s a capable young woman. If Oliver thinks that her contacts are better than our attorney’s then, we should trust him to make that decision. Lord knows he’s earned at least that much since being back, Moira.”

 

It was clear to see Moira didn’t necessarily agree, but she acquiesced. 

 

“Thank you, mom.” Oliver said with a smile, and narrated the phone number to Walter who dialed right away. Oliver sighed, relaxing. The rest was on his wife. 

  
  


Laurel stormed into the precinct, looking for her father and almost expecting him to be unavailable in an interrogation room with Ollie, only to find him borderline sulking outside on his desk. She walked over to him, angry, because what was he thinking? Accusing a billionaire and heir to a multi-million conglomerate such as Oliver Queen himself to be a vigilante? It was a ludicrous accusation that was all over the news stations making her father look like a deranged griever who would do anything to punish the person who he thought was responsible for his daughter’s death. At least, that was how the papers were spinning it, having become accustomed to this new Ollie’s more mature and responsible take towards life, and right now, watching her father fume and pout, Laurel couldn’t help but wonder if their theories had more truth in them than she was willing to admit.

 

“You have to know that what you’re doing right now is not only very stupid, but also incredibly reckless?” She said, forgoing a greeting for the lecture that was begging to be let out from the moment she had seen the news. Quentin glared at her,

 

“This isn’t something you should be involved in, Laurel. Just go home.” And  _ that _ , her father’s condescending tone, reminding her of everytime he stopped her from all the opportunities that came her way because she was ‘too young’ or ‘too naive’ or ‘too soon to be making such big decisions after what happened with her sister’, it was  _ that _ tone that made up her mind,

 

“Actually, you’ll find that I’m not going anywhere.” She stood up straighter at her father’s scoff, “I’m representing Oliver Queen.”

 

Quentin looked her her incredulously, “You’ve got to be kidding me, Laurel! After all that man’s done to our family?”

 

“See? It’s you saying things like that that makes you sound biased. You  _ are _ biased, dad! If you had spent 2 minutes with Oliver since he came back with an open mind, you’ll realise that he’s changed. He-” Quinten cut her off with a sardonic laugh,

 

“I can’t even listen to you right now! Changed? Laurel, he killed Sara!”

 

“Sara’s death was an accident.” Laurel defended vehemently. Lance shook his head, disappointed,

 

“I’m not letting you represent Oliver Queen. You’re his ex-girlfriend. There is clearly a conflict of interest here.”

 

“Oh, like you and Oliver don’t have a history?” She countered.

 

“Regardless. You’re not defending Queen. I won’t allow it.”

 

“Won’t allow it?!” Laurel screeched, offended. At this point, they had given up on keeping their voices low, and the fight was slowly but surely gathering everyone’s attention, “I’ll have you know, I’m a 27 year old adult woman. I don’t need your permission to do my job. I’m representing Oliver Queen, no matter what you say.”

 

“Actually, you’re not.” Came a calm voice from behind. Laurel whirled around to face the newcomer only to come face to face with Jason Miller.

 

“ _ You _ . What’re you doing here?” Laurel didn’t know a whole lot about Jason Miller, hadn’t even heard about him till last week when he came out of nowhere and sweeped up the Peter Declan case right off her hands. She hated him. Because she had wanted to prove the hood that she could help him save lives, but instead, she had ended up looking like she was incapable and an ametuer instead.

 

“I’m here as Mr. Queen’s attorney actually. And my client would appreciate it if you would stop making a scene.” Laurel’s mouth dropped open, and she folded her arms over her chest defensively,

 

“Hey! You don’t get to talk to my daughter like that!” Jason sighed when Quentin took a threatening step forward,

 

“And you don’t get to keep my client locked up against his will without sufficient evidence. Looks like we’re both doing things we don’t get to do today.” Quentin bristled,

 

“I have evidence-”

 

“All you have is a video that is circumstantial at best. As a lawyer, I would advise you against taking this to court. You’ll lose. Mr. Queen is a respected citizen of Starling City. But, as the defending attorney, I have to say, I look forward to decimating you in court.”

 

“Jason…” A voice sighed from behind there group, “You’re doing that thing where you’re too mean again.” Felicity said to him. After all these years, Felicity had gotten used to Jason’s rather brutal way of speaking when talking to his opposition. It was nothing more than an intimidation tactic, one that has worked with everyone except Oliver Queen and Amanda Waller.

 

Quentin stared at Felicity, surprised that she had the nerve to show up here, at his turf, after what had happened at the abandoned Queen Steel Factory,

 

“Ms. Smoak, I can’t think of a single reason for you to be here.” 

 

“Detective Lance, How’s that warrant coming along?” She gave him the same shark smile she had before, and Quentin scowled cause she was right. He had tried, but one video of Oliver Queen grabbing a duffle bag and taking the stairs won’t get him a permit to search a building that the Queens didn’t even own anymore. 

 

Laurel looked at the blonde woman in front of her shrewdly. She recognized her, of course she did. She was the one having dinner with Oliver that night at the Thai restaurant. Laurel was surprised that she had lasted this long. Usually, the women that weren’t Laurel Lance didn’t hold Ollie Queen’s attention long enough to be seen with him twice.

 

“Ms. Smoak?” Walter called, his head popped out of the interrogation room. Lance glanced down at his watch superstitiously, they still had five minutes to monopolize that room. After that, Lance was kicking them out. “I’m presuming that’s Mr. Miller with you? Oliver would like to talk to the both of you.”

 

Laurel and Quentin watched, silently fuming for two very different reasons as the other two left, entering the interrogation room. The Lances had forgotten their own argument, which would’ve have been moot anyway considering Oliver didn’t really want Laurel’s help.

 

>\-------|>

 

“Docket #191: People versus Oliver Queen. Charges include murder, aggravated assault, assault with intent, trespassing, menacing.” The bench clerk announced, handing over the case papers to the judge just as Oliver Queen walked into the courtroom, Jason Miller right behind him. Oliver’s family was sitting on the first bench right behind him, from left to right sitting Moira Queen, Thea Queen, Walter Steele, and Felicity Smoak. On the other side of the courtroom, sitting on the third last bench were Quentin Lance, Laurel Lance, and Tommy Merlyn who’d just barely made it in time, and had rushed to sit next to his girlfriend. His eyes roamed around the room while the court settled, and they paused on the unfamiliar blonde woman sitting next to Oliver’s step father. He lightly nudged Laurel, pointing out the woman to her and whispering,

 

“Who’s that chick over there?” Laurel looked over, and then scowled,

 

“Oliver’s newest fling apparently.” She said curtly. Tommy raised a brow,

 

“And she came to his court hearing?” Before Laurel could answer, Quentin leaned forward to join the conversation,

 

“Not only that, Felicity Smoak also brought Queen his attorney.” He scoffed, “ I didn’t even know the woman existed before yesterday, and suddenly she’s the greatest pain in my ass.”

 

Tommy blinked, “Wait… did you say ‘Felicity’?” Vaguely, he remembered how Oliver had half-mumbled a similar sounding name. How he had heard him talk to this ‘licity chick a day after he’d been found on a deserted island. Between trying to be more responsible for Laurel’s sake and spending time with his recently-resurrected friend, Tommy hadn’t found much time to actually investigate all the loose ends related to Oliver’s time away that he couldn’t make sense of, but now the mystery was once again at the forefront of his mind. He found himself staring at the blonde, watching closely as she fumbled with the chain necklace around her neck, and it was only because Tommy had been looking at her so closely that he missed the venomous glare that Laurel send his way,

 

“Tommy, you’re here to support your friend who’s about to go to jail. The least you can do is not ogle any blonde woman who you set eyes on.”

 

“What? No! I wasn’t ogling!” Tommy protested, whipping his head so fast he might’ve gotten whiplash. Laurel just rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and leaning back to listen to the court hearing. She couldn’t understand why Oliver would trust some stranger for something so important, when all he had had to do was ask and she would’ve defended him.

 

“The court is officially in session. Mr. Miller?” The judge started. Jason stood up, an effortless air of confidence surrounding him,

 

“We’ll be pleading innocent, your honor.” He said, and the judge nodded. 

 

“Now, on the subject of bail-”

 

“Your honor.” The public prosecutor stood up, giving Oliver a stink eye that was (in Oliver’s opinion, completely undeserved). “I would like to point out that the Queen family owns a  _ pair  _ of private jets, and that no amount of bail would guarantee Mr. Queen’s presence in court.”

 

“Well then, it’s a good thing that all the evidence that’s stacked against Oliver Queen is completely circumstantial” Jason retorted, giving the prosecutor a charming smile before continuing, “And even if all these baseless accusations weren’t so preposterous, last time I checked, being rich wasn’t a crime and that could be used as an excuse to deny bail.”

 

“He’s a flight risk!” The prosecutor argued,

 

“Only if there actually is a case, which there isn’t.” Jason then turned to look at the judge, “Your honor, this charade has gone on long enough. I have here a witness who’s willing to testify that Oliver Queen, around the time when the vigilante was seen mid action with the international assassin was in fact, not at the scene of the crime.”

 

“What witness?!” The prosecutor jumped. “I wasn’t informed about any such witness.”

 

“That’s because the investigation that occured prior to Oliver Queen’s arrest was -and pardon my language, your honor- half assed at best.” Jason stated. “If the arresting officer had even tried to dig a little deeper, than he would’ve found that Oliver did have an alibi.”

 

The judge narrowed her eyes at the lawyers in front of her,

 

“Call your witness, Mr. Miller.” Jason smirked. Hook, line and sinker.

 

“The defended moves to call Ms. Felicity Smoak to the stand.” From behind the seats, Felicity stood up calmly, walking over to the stand and placing her hand on the bible that the tipstaffs holds up to her,

 

“Do you swear to speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?”

 

“I do.” Felicity swore. 

 

“Pardon me, judge.” The prosecutor stood up, “But, who is Felicity Smoak anyway?” The judge raised a brow at Jason, motioning him to answer and Jason smiled, because there was no way that with Felicity’s qualifications, anybody in the room would take her anything less that seriously,

 

“Felicity Smoak, your honor, is a certified genius with two masters degree in computer sciences and cyber security from MIT, a university from which she graduated summa cum laude at a young age of 19. For the past couple of years, she had been working as an intelligence agent for the government and has recently moved to Starling City with the intention of building her own company.”

 

For a moment, the court was completely silent. Felicity gave the people seated a shy little smile, blushing deeper when Oliver winked at her. The prosecutor was staring at her in mild horror, as if Felicity was a nightmare that had just appeared out of thin air, and Felicity figured that for a poor woman, that wasn’t too far from the truth. After a significant pause in the court hearings that was only amplified with the camera flashes, the judge cleared her throat,

 

“And what is your relationship with Mr. Queen, Ms. Smoak?” She asked,

 

“We’re in a committed romantic relationship.” Felicity replied lightly, making sure to sound completely blase about it and taking unholy amounts of pleasure from all the shocked faces in the court.

 

“Ms Smoak,” Jason called to her, “Can you tell us where you were on the night of Unidac Industries Auction? I believe it was on the 25th of May?”

 

“I was in my hotel room. At four seasons. Still haven’t gotten around to house hunting yet.”

 

“And was Oliver Queen with you that night?”

 

“Yes he was.”

 

“Objection! Your honor, Oliver Queen could’ve easily gone over to Ms.Smoak’s hotel room after that fight with Deadshot.”

 

“Of course.” Jason smiled easily and turned to Felicity, “Ms. Smoak, can you give us a rough time frame in which Oliver Queen was with you?”

 

“Well, he’d called me just after the shooting. It had overwhelmed him and he’d thought he’d feel better if he could stay somewhere quiet. I stayed with him the whole hour and a half, after which Oliver had gone to the Queen Manor where he was sure his family was sick with worry. So, I suppose the time frame would be somewhere around 10:30 to midnight?”

 

Jason nodded, proud, “Your honor, the vigilante sightings were reported to be around 11 at night to 11:30. This information has not been disclosed to the public so Ms. Smoak couldn’t have possibly known how to fabricate her story. Oliver Queen has a clear alibi. I rest my case.”

 

“Ms Karry? Do you have anything to add to this hearing?” The judge addressed the prosecutor. Lara Karry bowed her head in frustration, and spoke through gritted teeth,

 

“No, your honor.” The judge sighed,

 

“Very well then. Due to overwhelming evidence supporting Oliver Queen’s innocence and only vaguely circumstantial evidence supporting otherwise, The court finds Oliver Queen: Not guilty.” Oliver stands up, smiling, and meets Jason in a hug, “Mr. Queen, you’re free to go.” The judge concludes before leaving the room.

 

Felicity walks down the stand, and is met halfway with a kiss from her husband,

 

“Thanks for that.” Oliver mumbles against her lips before pulling away, “I had no idea you were going to testify.”

 

Felicity shrugged, “Jason was going to win either way. This way just seemed simpler. And more clean.” She replied, and then smiled widely at the person standing behind her husband, 

 

“Jason. Thank you for this. We owe you one.” Jason scoffed,

 

“Like hell you do. You’re family. You both are. I have an invested interest in not seeing either of you in jail, thank you very much.”

 

“Still, man. Felicity’s right. We do owe you.” Oliver patted Jason on his shoulder, “Call us whenever you need us.”

 

>\--------|>

 

Thea watches from afar, sees her brother walk forward to meet his girlfriend instead of turning around to his family. She had imagined many times how Felicity Smoak would look, and never once had she imagined her to look so… smart. Her blonde hair was tied in a neat little ponytail, her glasses a stylish black and her outfit a nice business casual dress. She looked like a professional, though Thea supposes she shouldn’t be so surprised considering the woman's qualifications. 

  
  


She’s surprised that Oliver took an interest in her though. But, even Thea has to admit, as she watches them embrace each other, they look good together.  Sharp. As if they’re ready to conquer the world.

 

It’s ridiculous how easily they just ooze power.

 

 

She feels someone stop beside her and looks up to see Tommy looking at the pair of them too. His brow is furrowed, and even as he speaks to Thea, he doesn’t take his eyes off of them,

 

“Did you know about Felicity?”

 

“Sure.” She shrugged, “Ollie’s new girlfriend. Oliver’s allowed to have a girlfriend, Tommy. We must’ve been reaching with the whole secret life bullshit anyway.”

 

Tommy hesitates, “I’m not too sure about that, Speedy.” He turns to look at the younger woman, “Remember when I told you about Oliver making a phone call to some girl the day after he came home?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“He had called the person on the other side ‘Felicity’. Between that, and the fact that this Felicity Smoak is just so conveniently new to the city, don’t you think that it’s suspicious?”

 

Thea mulled over his words. It certainly was weird, how much Oliver depended and trusted that woman if they’d only known each other for a handful of weeks,

 

“What do you think we should do? If we confront him, he’ll just deny everything. And call us morons.” Tommy shrugged,

 

“We gather evidence, of course.” He turned to Thea, “It’s not just Felicity, Thea. Oliver looks way too cozy with that lawyer he supposedly just met recently. And the vigilante accusations? Have you seen your brother’s new hot bod? A secret superhero doesn’t seem that far-fetched.”

 

Thea scrunched her nose in disgust, “Okay, first of all, I never want to hear the words ‘brother’ and ‘hot-bod’ in the same sentence ever again. What is wrong with you, Merlyn?” She then turns a bit more serious, “Though, I suppose you are right. A lot of things about Oliver aren’t making much sense at the moment.” He whipped up to look at Tommy when an idea hit her, “We need to get his phone. I bet everything we need to know is in there. Oliver’s never without it.”

 

“Well yeah, but like you said, Oliver’s never without it. How will we get it?”

 

Thea rolled her eyes, “Tommy, you seem to forget that I’m a pro at getting what I want. I can get super sneaky. Don’t worry. For now, just keep your eyes peeled. We never know when the perfect opportunity to steal a phone will rise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, officially everyone knows about Felicity Smoak.
> 
> Hopefully, we'll see a family dinner soon.
> 
> I know Tommy's investigation is kinda slow, but give the a break. Poor baby has a lot on his plate. But, now that he and Thea have joined forces, maybe something will finally give.
> 
> The court scene was so much fun to write y'all. It was almost completely au with very little canon elements. Jason is such a savage little sweet heart *sigh*
> 
> I hope y'all liked the Lance family roast. I might have over done just a *little bit* but this is fiction, so I can hate on them as much as I want. :) :)
> 
> Please give me feedback and all the kudos (everybody knows that they're food for a writer's soul) and I'll hopefully see you sometime this week with another update on something or the other (haven't decided yet)
> 
> -ms
> 
> P.S I'm SO FUCKING EXCITED FOR THE NEW OLICITY CHAPTER!!)


	12. I Know You Changed (You Don't Feel The Same)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't realised, the lyrics is from In My Head by Peter Manos and is a bit of tribute to the Olicity angst in 7.08. I'm obsessed with that angst, and I really hope they do it justice by giving it enough enough screen-time.
> 
> On another note, I might be starting a new AU story sometime soon. Hint: It was inspired by Meghan Markle.
> 
> @ShippingTrash4Life, I would love a Jason Miller plushie also. How can we make that happen?
> 
> @Newsies73, I loved writing that line. You don't need to be attracted to men to be able to appreciate the master piece that is SA's body. And even if that was the case, I'm convinced that Tommy is at least *slightly* bi.
> 
> @SonicaB, I want Tommy and Thea to find out about Oliver because there are plot points in the future where I would like them to get involved, but then again, those to lead very busy lives, and it ain't happening fast enough for me. 
> 
> Thank you for all the amazing Feedback last chapter, you guys! I can't tell you enough how much it means to me that y'all love Jason so much. Maybe he'll come back. Maybe we'll only see him in flashbacks! Who knows!
> 
> Anyway, give kudos and feedback! I love hearing from you guys!
> 
> HAPPY READING!!

Oliver and Felicity had only just managed to get out of the courtroom when they were met with not only Walter Steele but also Thea and Moira Queen,

 

“Ms. Smoak,” Moira started, reaching out her hand for a handshake that Felicity met, flushing slightly with nervousness, “I suppose I have you to thank for this easy conviction of my son’s trial.”

 

Felicity smiled, “I didn’t do much, Mrs. Queen. Oliver would’ve won the case with or without my help.” She snatched Jason’s sleeve from where he was standing silently next to her, “Jason’s just that good, and the charges against Oliver were bogus, afterall.”

 

“Of course.” Moira smiled, and then dug up a business card to hand to Jason, “Mr. Miller, I have to say, I’m very grateful you decided to take on Oliver’s case. If you ever need a favor I can help you with, don’t hesitate to call.”

 

“Of course, Mrs. Queen. It was nothing. Me and Felicity go way back. And really, what is a favor between friends?” Jason said, and gave the rest of them a parting smile, “As it is, I do have a flight to catch. So, I really should get going now.” He gave Felicity a friendly hug, and patted Oliver on his back, “I hope we can do this again soon. Preferably in circumstances where I don’t actually have to do any work.”

 

“Thank you, Jason.” Felicity said again. After all, if it wasn’t for him, this case could’ve easily gotten out of hand.

 

“Yeah, thanks man.”

 

When Jason had left, and the crowd around the courthouse had thinned quite a bit, Thea finally rounded on where Oliver and Felicity were standing,

 

“So. I have to say, I’ve heard quite a lot about you, Felicity, considering how  _ recently _ you met my brother.” Thea addressed her, emphasizing the ‘recently’. In Thea’s opinion, the couple were too comfortable, showed intimacy too easily for them to have known each other only for a couple of months. But, Felicity didn’t give anything away, just smiling serenely as she replied,

 

“I could say the same about you. Oliver talks a lot about his sister.”

 

“Only good things, I hope.”

 

“Of course not, Speedy.” Oliver piped up from where he was standing behind Felicity, a hand wrapped around her waist. Felicity leaned back into him, laughing lightly when he continued, “You’re evil. Felicity knows about all those times you locked me inside the pantry whenever Mom and Dad put me in charge of babysitting you.”

 

“Hey!” Thea protested playfully, “In my defence, I was 11 and Ollie was an easy target.”

 

Felicity was about to reply to that when her phone rang. She dug it up to see the pop-up notification telling her that her systems had found another target for the Arrow to hunt tonight.

 

“I’m sorry. This is work-related.” She turned to Oliver to smile at him, “I came with Jason. I’m gonna need a ride.”

 

“Of course.” Oliver turned to Moira, “We’ll be taking one of the town cars if you don’t mind, mum?”

 

“Of course not, Oliver.” Moira signalled one of the drivers to bring a car around, “Though, I should remind you of the family dinner tomorrow night. It’s mandatory. Felicity, I must insist that you attend. It’s the least we can do after what you’ve done for my son.”

 

“As long as I won’t be intruding, Mrs. Queen.” Felicity agreed. And walked over to the town car with Oliver once it stopped right in front of them. 

 

“A guy called Mueller will be conducting an arms deal at the glades tonight.” Felicity told Oliver as soon as they got inside the car, the partition shut closed.

 

“Diggle should do it. Right now, the best thing for me would be to be in a rather public place the same time as the vigilante is seen at night.”

 

“That’s a good idea. We also need to discuss the warehouse. I still haven’t gotten enough time to check it out.”

 

“Well, can’t you do it tonight?”

 

Felicity hesitated, “I have to take some video calls from potential investors. But, I can postpone-”

 

“No. No, you don’t need to do that.” Oliver smiled softly at her, “I’ll be attending a budget-cuts meeting with the board at Table Salt or someplace equally posh and public. You’ll be talking to the investors. The warehouse can wait another day. I know that this mission is important. But we can't lose ourselves to it. Afterall, this ultimately has to be about the bigger picture.”

 

“Okay.” Felicity grinned. She turned to look out of the window, and stared out at the city silently for a few moments before turning back to look at him, “I’m really excited about this company, you know?” She did a little wiggle on her seat, and Oliver laughed,

 

“I can tell.” He told her, “Have you thought of a name yet?”

 

“Hmm, I have a few options. But, currently, the one in running is ‘Smoak Technologies’.”

 

“After your mother?” Oliver gave her a questioning glance. Felicity nodded,

 

“I know it’s a little silly. After all, I hardly remember her.” She laced her fingers together with her husband’s, “But, I remember how happy we were before she finally got fed up with my dad and left. She was a good mom… and I like to think that she’d be proud. About how far I’ve managed to come from where I started.”

 

“I don’t doubt that.” Oliver raised their joined hands to place a kiss on the back of her hand, “Wherever she is, she has to be. After all, I know I am.” He gave her a wink and Felicity smiled in reply,

 

“The only opinion that matters.” She murmured softly, as if reminiscing when they had first exchanged those words between each other.

 

“That’s right.” Oliver replied just as softly. And as if pulled together by a force as inevitable as gravity itself, they moved closer to  each other till their lips met in a sweet kiss.

  
  


>\----------|>

 

“So… you want me to what? Wear your suit? And catch an arms dealer while you have dinner with your fellow rich white folks?” Diggle crossed his arms over his chest, feeling contrite but Oliver just smirked at his choice of words,

 

“I’ll have you know, we have a total of 2 people of color on our board.” He replied sarcastically, but sombered when John raised a judgemental eyebrow at him, “Look, the only way to truly dispel the idea of me being this vigilante is if I’m witnessed being Oliver Queen while at the same time, the Arrow in witnessed around the city, preferably on the other side of the town.”

 

Diggle stared at him silently, only to sigh tiredly before saying, “You do realise how creepy it is to hear you address yourself in the third person, right?” Oliver snorted,

 

“Believe it or not, Digg, you’re not the first person to point that out to me.”

 

“You’re wife?” John asked, a smile twitching at the ends of his lips,

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Yeah. That sounds like her.” Diggle stood there silently for a moment, taking in the soft small on Oliver’s face at the reminder of his wife. He had dropped Felicity off at the foundry and come back to the mansion where Diggle was waiting for him in his room. John didn’t know how he missed this weird sense of peace that just surrounded Oliver whenever Felicity was even mentioned, but now that he knew where to look, it was so obvious.

 

“You know, it was pretty smart of you.” He mentioned casually,

 

“What was?”

 

“Getting caught on camera on purpose. Convincing me to join the team. Considering the time of the vigilante’s arrival and your own ‘rescue’ from the island, it was only a matter of time before the police looked into you. Eliminating yourself as an option was pretty smart.”

 

Oliver shrugged, “I’m married to a genius. You shouldn’t underestimate me.” Diggle raised a brow at his cocky attitude. Did that boy not realize that even when he tried to go for ‘uncaring and arrogant’ all he managed was ‘love-sick and proud-hubby’.

 

“Alright.” At Oliver questioning look, John elaborated, “I’ll pretend to be you for the night. But this still doesn’t make me the sidekick.”

 

“Of course not, Digg.” Oliver stood up from where he was lazing on the couch, “You and Felicity, you’re not my employees. You’re my partners. My friends. This is a favor I will gladly return whenever you ask for it.”

 

“Okay then.” Digg nodded, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

Only a few minutes after Diggle had left, there was another knock on the door. Absentmindedly, Oliver asked whoever it was to come in. He was only slightly surprised to see Thea. 

 

“Speedy!” Oliver gave her a lazy wide smile that reminded him too much of the person he was before the island to feel comfortable, “Today was something, huh?”

 

“Oh yeah.” Thea entered the room, plopping down on the couch next to him, “Let’s see, you got accused of being the vigilante, got arrested, convicted innocent, and I met your girlfriend.” She gave Oliver a side eye, “Strange thing is, from this extensive list of crazy things that happened, the one thing that’s occupying my mind the most is Felicity.”

 

“Well, she is very interesting.” Oliver conceded, curious where his sister was going with this,

 

“A bit too smart than what you usually go for too.” Thea raised a brow, but Oliver just shrugged,

 

“Like I said, Felicity’s different.”

 

“Uh-huh. You did say that.” She turned her body  on the couch till she was facing Oliver directly, “Tell me, brother, how is she so different?”

 

Oliver smiled, looked down at his left hand. It was bare at the moment, but he could feel the cool metal ring resting lightly over his chest,

 

“Well, she’s very funny, for one.”

 

“Okay. Very funny. Anything else?” 

 

“She’s also very… bright.” Oliver grinned, his eyes lighting up, “Felicity, she just… she just lightens everything up, you know? It’s pretty incredible to see, especially after everything she herself has been through.” He looked at Thea shyly, like he was letting her see just a tiny glimpse of a secret he’d buried deep in the darkest parts of his mind, “She makes it much easier for me to just be me.”

 

“Yeah?” Thea asked softly, a sense of wonder filling her. She had never seen Ollie like this. So content and at the same time so thrilled. Not in her entire life.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“She sounds wonderful.” Thea tells him, and Oliver agrees wholeheartedly,

 

“You’re going to love her. I know it.” Suddenly, her brother’s hand shot up to ruffle her hair, Thea protested, trying to move out of the way and swat his arm away simultaneously, “You two are gonna get along great, Speedy.”

 

Thea grinned, “Then I’m looking forward to dinner tomorrow.”

 

 

>\--------|>

 

Walter was secretly glad that both Oliver and Felicity were too busy to check out the warehouse they had discovered. It was true that he had gone to Oliver with the discrepancies, but that didn’t mean that he wanted either of them to be this involved in something that looked so shady. Walter couldn't risk Oliver and consequently the future of Queen Consolidated like that.

 

He stared at the keypad in front of him. It was a touch screen, and only had a letter pad which meant that at least the pass code wasn't a date. That did narrow things down quite a lot. First, he tried THEA knowing that she’s always had a special place in Moira’s heart. When that gave an error, he tried OLIVER, but that too was wrong. Hesitating for only a second, he typed ROBERT, and surprisingly, the lock opened.

 

He took a bracing breath before opening the warehouse door. The lights inside blinded him temporarily long enough that he’d only been able to really see the object stashed only once he was well inside the building. His eyes widened when they landed on the Gambit. Of all the things that he had expected, a wrecked ship that should be lost somewhere in the north china seas was not one of them. Walter stumbled forward, instinctively taking out his phone and snapping multiple pictures of the wreckage. His mind couldn’t process so much all at once, but he knew that after some time, he would be able to make some sense out of it.

 

Once he had taken dozens of pictures from all angles, Walter hightailed out of that warehouse, with only one thing clear in his mind,

 

Oliver could never find out about this.

 

>\---------|>

 

Oliver entered Table Salt with his head high. The entire day, people had been giving him curious glances whenever they thought he wasn’t looking, and it was getting on his very last nerves. He had been trying to ignore them as much as he could, but after years of being able to meld into the background, all this media coverage and attention was getting to him. He kept his cool though. Kept his steps clean, his head high, his smile charming, as the waiter showed him to the table where the other three board members were waiting for him,

 

“Mr. Queen, I hope you’re well. I saw the news today. Such wild accusations!” The man sitting on the right side of the table said, and Oliver sighed. These people get straight to the point don’t they?

 

“Oh, no harm done, Mr. Jameson. It was all just a misunderstanding.” Oliver assured him, and before any of the others could continue his line of questioning, Oliver gave them all a charming smile and said,

 

“So, the Queen PT subsidiary. We really need to discuss this quarter’s numbers, gentlemen.”

  
  


Felicity smiled as she ended the video conference call, shrugging out of the red power-blazer she had put on just for that discussion. She had expected much of her company’s start-up to go smoothly, after all, her years in ARGUS made her a good investment, but this call had surpassed even her expectations. She couldn’t wait till she turned M.A.Y.A into a commercial product. She was sure that it was going to be a breakthrough in the technological department.

 

Her Angel Investor, a woman named Alena, who had been successfully running her own Data Intelligence company for the last 5 and a half years had been just as excited as Felicity was about it. Between Alena, her own money that Felicity had saved over the years and Amanda Waller’s influence and recommendation, Felicity was sure she was going to be able to pull this off.

 

SMOAK TECHNOLOGIES

 

Felicity smiled as she lightly doodled the name on her yellow legal pad, and then picked up the purple ball point pen from the cup holder beside her and traced the words again. She had decided.

 

It was going to be SMOAK TECHNOLOGIES.

  
  


John Diggle sighed as he climbed down the stairs of the lair, pulling off the hood as he went. He hadn’t thought that he would have to deal with Leo Mueller all by himself, but the opportunity to take him in had arised, and without much thought, he had hit Mueller hard enough with Oliver’s bow to render him unconscious, and after tying him up, he had left him at the back door of the SCPD, knocking on the door before leaving for extra measure.

 

There. Now there would be no doubt in anyone’s mind that Oliver Queen was the Hood.

 

Diggle checked the cameras installed in the rest of the building. Curiosity rising when he saw Felicity was in her ‘office’ on the first floor. Though, calling it that would be a little presumptuous. At the moment, it was nothing more than a bare grey-room with a wooden desk, wheeled chair (with extra sensitive back support) and a laptop. But then again, knowing Felicity, Diggle wouldn’t put it past her for this entire building to become just as bright as the rest of her personality.

 

As it was, seeing as she wasn’t working on her computer, Diggle decided to go upstairs and ask her if she wanted to go for a Big Belly Burger. BBB was usually a celebratory thing between the three of them. A fairly recent development but one Diggle was going to do his best to maintain. He was sure between his successful mission and her work-in-progress start-up, they would be able to find something to celebrate about.

 

>\--------|>

 

Oliver and Felicity were having breakfast the next day at the breakfast bar in Felicity’s suite, Oliver having made waffles and bacon, when Oliver saw the headline on the local news,

 

JOSIAH HUDSON, A QC EMPLOYEE: DEAD IN HIS APARTMENT

 

Immediately, Oliver turned the volume up, and Felicity lifted her head up from her plate at the sound,

 

“Josiah Hudson, I met him only a few days ago. He’s the head of security at QC.” Oliver told Felicity, not taking his eyes of the television. Felicity walked over to her tablet, getting into the SCPD network only with a few keystrokes,

 

“According to the police report, Mr. Hudson was found in his apartment at 9 in the evening, shot twice in the chest.” Felicity’s brows raised as she continued reading, “Here’s the super weird part, He was definitely shot. But, they didn’t find any bullets in the autopsy.”

 

“So what? It was a through and through?”

 

“Nope. There was no exiting wound.”

 

“So… the shooter shot him twice, and then dug the bullets out?”

 

“Maybe they didn’t want to leave any evidence behind?” Felicity suggested,

 

“Why not just stab him then?” Oliver argued. Felicity shrugged,

 

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s an M.O? I’ll have to go to the foundry to check.” 

 

“When was the last time we got a peaceful morning just to ourselves?” Oliver groaned, pouting and felicity laughed, playfully kissing his jutted lips, biting the bottom one just hard enough to make her husband groan,

 

“That’s not exactly what we signed up for, honey, when we took this on.”

 

“True.” Oliver sighed, pulled away before he decided to screw the rest of the world and take his wife back to bed, “Okay. But, after dinner at the house, we’re definitely having dessert.”

 

Felicity raised a brow at his suggestiveness, “Of course. Now, please drop me of at the foundry.” She frowned, “I really need to get myself a ride.”

 

“You don’t need to.” Oliver assured her, “I like taking you places.”

 

“Hmm… That’s sweet.” She couldn’t help it. She kissed him again, “But, I still need to get a car.”

 

“Well, until then, why don’t you go take a shower, I’ll clean up here, and then we can leave for the foundry.” Oliver whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist. Felicity gave him a lazy smile, pushing up till there were only inches between their faces. She looped her arms around his shoulder,

 

“Or we can go take a shower together, and I’ll do the dishes later.” Oliver raised a brow,

 

“As much as I would like that, aren’t we in a hurry?” Felicity shrugged,

 

“Not enough that we can’t take half an hour for ourselves.” She cajoled, and Oliver, not needing much persuasion picked her up bodily without another word and walked back to the bedroom.

 

>\---------|>

 

Felicity had spent a whole 2 hours in the foundry that afternoon in hopes of catching a killer with the same M.O as the guy who murdered Josiah Hudson, but she had come up empty. She had no idea why anyone would go through the trouble of taking out bullets out of a body after shooting them. Now, she was back in her hotel room, freshly showered and going through her wardrobe meticulously because in an hour, Oliver will come and pick her up for dinner with the rest of his family.

 

To say she was nervous would be an understatement.

 

She looked down at her nails, taking in the pretty peach color she had gotten down at the mani-pedi downstairs just that afternoon and decided to go for something rather mute. She chose the grey-silver dress she had bought last year from Greenland, when Oliver and her had been on an undercover mission. Oliver hadn’t been able to stop trailing his fingers over her arms when he had first seen it, and she was sure this time wouldn’t be any different. At the same time, she was sure that the dress was also conservative enough for a dinner with the in-laws that was taking place in a literal mansion.

  


She had only just finished pinning all her hair in a nice updo and had put on her dress when she heard the key card unlock the front door. She smiled as she picked up her signature red lipstick, applying a coat even as she eyed Oliver coming through the bedroom door through the mirror. He stopped at the door frame, releasing a slow breath as he said,

 

“Oh, I really like that dress on you.” He said almost thoughtlessly. Felicity gave him a wicked little smile,

 

“I know.” Oliver walked over to her, silently but purposefully till he was close enough for Felicity to feel his heat against her bare back. His fingers trailed over her naked skin, going down and down and down till they reached the zipper. Placing his lips on her neck, he slowly pulled the zipper up, closing the dress inch by inch, maintaining eye-contact the whole time,

 

“Hmm.” Felicity hmmed pleasantly, falling back till she was leaning on him completely. In response, his arms wrapped around her waist till she was caged inside them.

 

“... Maybe we don’t  _ need _ to go to dinner.” Oliver mumbled contemplatively into her neck after staring at her in the mirror for a few moments, his chin resting on her shoulder. It made Felicity laugh, and she turned her head just enough to press a red kiss on his temple,

 

“Oh we’re definitely going to dinner. I didn’t just spend 2 hours on the verge of a nervous break-down for it to be all for nothing.”

 

“What do you have to be nervous about?” Oliver asked, and bless him, he sounded genuinely confused, “You’re perfect.”

 

“No, I’m not.” She denied immediately. He shrugged,

 

“You’re perfect for me.”

 

She couldn’t argue with that.

 

>\----------|>

 

Thea had been sitting on the staircase in the foyer for the past 10 minutes waiting for Ollie. He had called ahead 20 minutes ago saying that they’d left the hotel, so they should be here any second now.

 

Thea was looking forward to meeting Felicity even before her talk with her brother yesterday, and since then, the urge had only grown. After all, that one woman had single-handedly managed to not only make her brother happy, but also make Ollie open up in a way Thea had never seen before. And all in a couple of months time. Well, if she was going with Tommy’s theory, it would’ve been a lot longer than just months, but Thea had decided to be a grown up and had decided that just for tonight, she was going to forget about all those ridiculous conspiracies that were going on in her head regarding her brother (no matter how plausible they had started sounding in the past weeks) and focus on having a nice meal with her brother and his new girlfriend and the rest of her family.

 

She jumped when the doorbell rang, and was at the door before Raisa could even cross the foyer. She smiled widely at the pair in front of her. Oliver gave her a smile, a bottle of wine in his hands and the other laced together with Felicity’s. The woman herself looked like she was breaking a few bones in Ollie’s hand with how tight she was holding it, and Thea almost cooed at her adorable nervousness,

 

“Hi!” She gave Ollie a hug, and then pulled away to bring Felicity in one too. The blonde squeaked, but Thea didn’t let go till Felicity had completely relaxed against her,

 

“You don’t have anything to worry about, Felicity. You look beautiful.” Thea assured her, and she did look beautiful. Her silver-grey dress was tasteful in that conservative way but also not so covered that it reminded her of nuns in churches. Felicity blushed at the compliment,

 

“Thank you. So do you. I’m just glad I’m not overdressed.” She said, tucking a stray strand of her hair in her ear, and Thea squeezed her hand instictievly when she saw those gorgeous diamond earrings.

 

At last. Ollie found a girl with good fashion sense.

 

“Ah, Oliver, Felicity.” Moira called as she walked downstairs from the grand staircase that led to the residential part of the house, “I see you two made it. I'm glad.” She gave Oliver a hug, and and a rather affectionate arm squeeze to Felicity. 

 

“You're both right on time. Raisa just finished laying down the table. Come, Walter's already waiting.”

 

When they did reach the dining area, Oliver was a bit surprised to see that instead of sitting on the seat next to his mother's at the head of the table, Walter had opted to sit on the other side of the table. Moira hesitated when she saw her husband, but continued on to her seat without saying a word. It was clear from Thea’s face that she was curious too, but even she decided to follow her mother's lead and not say a word. 

 

Oliver gave Walter a questioning glance, but the older man just ignored it, instead smiling and greeting both him and Felicity and motioning them to sit, 

 

“What would you two like to drink?”

 

“I'll have a scotch, neat, Walter. Thank you.” Oliver said and Walter walked over to the bar to make the drink, “And Felicity will have the red wine.”

 

“So, Felicity? You're building your own company?” Moira asked, a silent request to elaborate, 

 

“Yes. A tech company. During my three years working for the government, I was able to create an AI software, something that I now want to commercialize. I have no doubt that in the right hands, it could do a lot of good.”

 

Moira, adequately impressed, continued to chat with Felicity, going into the details of her business plan and such. The dinner was rather ordinary, with discussions widely ranging from the economy with Walter and Oliver to classic literature with Moira to latest fashion trends and celebrity gossips with Thea. The entire event had a very close-knit-family feel to it, as if Felicity's presence had already been accepted by the rest of the members of the Queen Family. By the end of it, just as Felicity and Oliver were getting ready to go back to their hotel room, Thea piped up, 

 

“You know that the both of you can just stay here, right?”

 

Oliver gave her a surprised look, and then turned to look at his mother to see that even she wasn't protesting the idea, 

 

“Oh no. Dinner is one thing. But, I wouldn’t want to intrude-” Felicity starts, eyes wide, but Moira cuts her off,

 

“Nonsense! A hotel no matter how luxurious cannot be comfortable long term. You can just stay here till you’ve found moved in to your new place.”

 

Felicity hesitates, still not sure how she feels about this kind of hospitality. But, Oliver answers for her. He places a hand over hers in support, and gives his mother a wide smile,

 

“That sounds wonderful, mom. Both Felicity and I appreciate it.”

 

“Yes we do.” Felicity plays along, “Thank you for your generosity.”

 

Looks like she’s moving into the Queen Mansion. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I lot of different things happened. Good news is Felicity and Oliver don't have to live in a hotel any more. Don't worry, they'll still get their own place (fingers crossed) but it made no sense for them to keep paying for a hotel after everybody important knew about their relationship, so rn they're living in the mansion.
> 
> I really miss Felicity's mini cooper too :( so hopefully she gets a car soon.
> 
> This update is a bit early. If you want to know when I update next, you'll find me on twitter @in_enochian and on tumblr @inenochian. Talk to me.
> 
> -ms


	13. You Just Want Attention (You Don't Want My Heart)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To All those of you who watched the crossover, you're all brave souls and deserve all my respect. I'm not touching that shit show with a 6 foot pole. DM me if Olicity kiss on the arrow episode.
> 
> Y'all deserve this chapter after what we've had to go through in terms of all the s7 angst and Oliver queen bashing in the crossover. Oliver Queen is the sweetest and the most selfless man on the planet and deserves everything that is good and bright and kind in this world.
> 
> Felicity Smoak is everything that is good and bright and kind in this world and she is the only one who truly understands him. 
> 
> Y'all have been waiting for this chapter in particular for weeks now and I hope I did it justice. Please give kudos if you liked it and I appreciate all the feedback I get. 
> 
> HAPPY READING!!

Felicity woke up in a bed that had potential to be more luxurious than a cloud. Sunlight was pouring in through the wide windows of Oliver’s childhood room even though Felicity was sure she had closed off the curtains before sleeping last night. She groaned and rolled over, planning on burying her face against her husband’s chest to avoid the bright sun rays only to find the sheets on his side cold and empty. She squinted open an eye, realised that she was alone in the massive room, and decided to give up the fight against wakefulness and sat up in bed.

 

She had been staying in the Queen mansion for a little over a week now, and finally, the changes were slowly starting to sink in. The breakfasts with the rest Queen family had been awkward at first, and but Felicity had started to let herself relax around them. Now, she was finally in a place where she could go and explore the place without Oliver constantly by her side, and she had to admit, it was ten times better than her suite in four seasons.

 

The bathroom door opened then, and Oliver came out in his pajamas, toothbrush in his mouth. He smiled when he saw she was awake, coming closer and pulling out his toothbrush to place a slightly minty close-lipped kiss on her nose. Felicity made a face, pushing him away,

 

“Oliver, I do not want toothpaste on my face.”

 

“Good morning to you too, honey.” He ignored her, instead placing another close-lipped kiss, this time on her lips, and felicity sighed, letting him for a few moments, before framing his face with her hands and pulling him back,

 

“I’m hungry.” She told him, wiggling out of the massive california sized-bed, “And I need a shower.”

 

“Need some help with that second one?” Felicity raised a brow,

 

“Don’t you have a workout scheduled with Digg? I thought that was why you woke up so early.” 

 

Oliver rolled his eyes, “Digg can wait till I shower with my wife.”

 

“No, he cannot. It’s saturday. I’m pretty sure Digg has better things to do than wait around for you.” 

 

Oliver sighed, “You always ruin my fun.”

Felicity gave him a cheeky smile, standing in front of him where he was sitting on the edge of the bed. She bent down just enough to place a chaste kiss on his still toothpaste covered lips,

 

“You need to go to the foundry. I’ll join you after I’ve had a shower and breakfast.” She shrugged, “At least I’ll finally get to actually use the car I bought three days ago.”

 

Oliver scoffed, “No self-respecting car would want to be placed in the same box as that... _ thing _ .” He said adamantly. Felicity laughed. She loved how much Oliver hated her car. “It’s a clown car Felicity! Even Digg agrees with me.”

 

“That’s because both of you are giant beanstalk people.” She placed a hand on her chest, “ _ Gertie _ is  _ my _ car. Thus, it is for me-sized people.”

 

Oliver looked up heavenward, as if asking for infinite patience, “I can’t believe I’m married to a woman who names her car.”

 

“Oh please, you love me.”

 

Oliver made an unconvincing little sound in the back of his throat, and Felicity laughed, lightly pushing his chest, knowing he won’t even budge, her stupidly built brick wall. She pulled away, walking over to the bathroom, and stripping down to get into the shower. The water at the Queen Mansion was steaming hot 24/7 and the pressure was heavenly. Felicity was half worried, she’d just go right back to sleep. Outside the shower curtain, she vaguely heard Oliver cleaning up, and before leaving, he pulled the curtain just enough to grab her hand and pull her forward enough to peck her on the lips,

 

“I’ll see you at Smoak Tech.” He said, and Felicity blushed. It was an odd habit Oliver had picked up. Referring to the Old Queen Steel factory as the Smoak Technologies building even though at the moment, there was nothing even remotely corporate about it. It still made Felicity smile though.

 

“I’ll see you at the foundry.” She replied softly, and maybe slightly shyly, but the idea of her own company still overwhelmed her sometimes. Feeling more real some days than others. With one last parting smile, Oliver left, and Felicity was left peacefully alone to enjoy the rest of her shower.

 

>\-------|>

 

Oliver didn’t necessarily enjoy beating people up. After all, there was nothing good about hurting someone, but even he had to admit, sparring with Diggle was fun. He hadn’t had a lot of worthy opponents since Slade. And that was almost three years ago. And there was maybe something a little primal in him that preened every time he put Diggle down. After all, the guy’s biceps were fucking huge. And he had seen Felicity’s eyes widen at the sight of them multiple times whenever Diggle bench pressed weights.

 

Oliver can’t have his wife ogling other men when he was right there. Maybe that’s why he had started working on the salmon ladder much more frequently than he used to. He was pretty sure that there could be an entire Robot apocalypse happening around them, but Felicity would still not be able to stop staring at him.

 

Oliver wore that little fact like a badge of honor.

 

“Those are some sweet moves you’ve got there, Queen.” Diggle panted out as he stood up again, “Where did you even learn all this?”

 

“A guy named Yao-Fei on the island.” Oliver replied. Diggle’s brow hitched,

 

“He gave you those scars?”

 

“One of them.” Oliver evaded the question. He had moved on from and accepted a lot of his past during the last couple of years, but he would always be uncomfortable talking about his scars. Diggle remained silent, and Oliver realised that if there was anyone who would understand that kind of reluctance to talk, it would be Diggle.

 

“So, who's the next target?” Digg asked, effectively changing the subject. Oliver nodded, and went to his wife’s computer, where the profile of their next target was already brought up,

 

“Scott Morgan. He runs the water and power in the glades. Jacks up the prices when people can’t pay, and even shuts them down in the dead of winter.” Oliver didn’t have to specify that he was also on the list.

 

“Which is at least a month away.” Diggle told Oliver, instead moving the keyboard closer to him and shifting the screen til it was in his line of sight. Oliver winced, but didn't say anything. Let Diggle learn that articular lesson first hand. “Look at this,” Diggle bought up a page showing that day’s Starling City Newspaper, “These guys started in Keystone three years ago. Began moving south, hitting banks along the way. Today, they robbed Starling City Trust. Even shot an off-duty cop. He’s in a coma. Doctor’s don’t know if he’ll make it.”

 

Oliver shrugged, “The guy was a cop. The SCPD will be all over it. We need to focus on the list.”

 

“Oliver, the SCPD is both overwhelmed and underfunded. There is no way they’ll be able to catch them. These people have experience. I’m sure your father won’t mind the delay.” Oliver shook his head adamantly,

 

“No. You don’t get it. Crime is going to happen everyday in this city. I won’t be able to stop all of it even if I wanted to. And I don’t. This isn’t some kind of a wild ‘purge-this-city-of-crime’ schtick. This is about me finishing the list my father gave me. It is to honor his memory, and as soon as I’m done, I’m giving it all up and living the rest of my life peacefully with my wife.”

 

“And what do you think she’ll say about this?” Diggle asked, knowing he had won with that point. He hadn’t known Felicity for long, but he knew that she was quite possibly the warmest and the kindest person he had ever come across. There was no way she wouldn’t take his side in this issue.

 

“Well, good thing she isn’t here right now, isn’t it?” Oliver glared at him. Bringing Felicity into the mix was a low blow. But, Oliver was resolute. This crusade wasn’t about him being a hero. He just wanted to get the list over with and concentrate on the life he was building with Felicity. That life, life with regular jobs and kids and anniversaries and birthdays, it had no place for his father’s sins or his arrows.

 

Oliver got up from Felicity’s seat before Diggle could say another word, “I’m going to be late for QC. I’ll shower at the office.” He said and walked out of the foundry.

 

>\----------|>

 

Laurel was stressed out of her mind. And just this morning, Joanna had given her the worst news and made her already crappy day much crappier. Apparently, Stagg Industries, CNRI’s biggest donors, were pulling out. She didn’t know how the building would stand without their funds. Already, they were using computers as slow as snails, and so yellow that she was sure that they were built in the last century. She cursed when the copier machine jammed for the fifth consecutive time that day, and kicked it (it had worked the last 4 times, why not now?) only instead of kickstarting into making her copies, a big black glob of ink spit out of the machine and landed right on her pale blue button down shirt.

 

She stood there frozen, cheeks burning as she sensed the stares of tens of the other employees on her. She hesitantly touched the ink stain, only for her fingers to come back wet and black. “Oh God.” She whimpered. She had only just bought that shirt last week when she and Joanna had gone to the mall.

 

“Woah!” Someone breathed and she looked up to see Tommy frantically making his way towards her,

 

“Hey! Oh god, that doesn’t look like it’ll come out. Are you alright?”

 

“No, Tommy.” She sighed tiredly, “Of course I’m not alright. Do I look alright?” She pointed to her shirt, and felt worse when Tommy winced at the sight of it,

 

“I’m sorry.” Tommy said, not really knowing why he was apologising, but when Laurel was like this, apologising was one of the best ways to not worsen her moods,

 

“Yeah well.” Laurel threw her hands up, “That isn’t going to solve this mess. We can’t afford a broken copier right now!”

 

Tommy frowned, “You’re running low on funds? I can help you with that.” Laurel rolled her eyes,

 

“Tommy, I don’t want your money. People are already talking about us like we’re a couple. This won’t help matters.”

 

“What do you mean? I thought we were on our way to being a couple? What does it matter what a few people say?”

 

Laurel sighed, guess she was doing this now,

 

“Look Tommy, you’re a good friend.” She shrugged, “And we had some fun nights together. But, I don’t want to  _ be _ with you.”

 

Tommy hesitated, trying to keep his voice low so as to not attract any attention. CNRI wasn’t really a big fan of rooms or walls, or even proper cubicles,

 

“We went on dates.” He tried to understand, “Remember? Monte Carlo last weekend? On the private jet. You told me how much you enjoyed the casino.”

 

“Yeah. But, that was because you invited me. I thought we were hanging out.”

 

Tommy looked at her weirdly, “We had sex, Laurel.”

 

“Oh come on! Like you haven’t had meaningless sex with someone before-”

 

“Not with you, I haven’t!”

 

Laurel sighed, “Look Tommy, I’m just not interested. You’re a good person on the inside. I know that. You showed me that. But, You’re still not the kind of guy I see myself being with.”

 

Tommy froze, trying to take the words in but not being able to comprehend them. He superstitiously looked around to see all the employees and clients of CNRI staring at them and his cheeks burned with embarrassment realising at some point they had stopped speaking softly,

 

“Look, can we talk about this later?” He asked softly, trying to take her hand in his but she moved it away quickly,

 

“There is nothing to talk about Tommy.  _ This _ ,” She gestured between them, “can’t happen. I don’t want it to.” She was getting agitated, and Tommy, not wanting to make a scene, backed away, raising his hands in a silent plea to ask her to calm down,

 

“Okay.” He whispered, trying hard to keep his voice even, not wanting to breakdown somewhere so public, “That’s fine. Everything’s fine, Laurel.” He kept backing away slowly till he bumped into one of the desks, and then turned around, continuing to make his way out of that building, avoiding eye contact with all the people giving him sympathetic stares,

 

God, that was so embarrassing.

 

>\----------|>

 

Moira had asked Oliver to come home for lunch. Usually, Oliver would’ve found an excuse to get away from it. But, Felicity was still at the house. She hadn’t been able to come to the foundry this morning because of some video calls she was taking with someone named Zari Tomaz. Oliver didn’t pretend to understand all the work that went into making a company. But, he knew whatever it was that held her up at the mansion must’ve been important. Felicity was still adjusting to living there, and spending time alone at the house always made her uncomfortable. So, Oliver had decided to go home for lunch. How bad could it be, really?

 

Turns out, pretty bad.

 

“Guess who I was just on the phone with?” Moira asked Oliver as soon as he entered the house. It was almost as if she had been waiting for him. Thea walked downstairs at the same time as Moira continued, “It was Janice Bowen.” When neither of her children showed any signs of recognition, Moira continued, “Carter Bowen’s mother.”

 

Thea made a ‘Ah!’ sound that Oliver punctuated with a teasing, “Carter Bowen. The perfect son.”

 

“Is he perfect?” Moira asked, bemused,

 

“According to you, he is.” Oliver could feel a smile tugging up the on his lips. This was nice. Light teasing, family moments. “Carter Bowen just won the national chess team. Carter Bowen is anchoring the debate team.”

 

“I’m sure I didn’t make that big of a fuss.” Moira protested, but it was half-hearted at best considering she was also smiling,

 

“Oliver, Carter just got accepted into Princeton and Harvard!” Thea joined in. After all, Tag teaming with Ollie had been one of her favorite things in the world before.

 

“Well, That’s because Carter got a perfect score on his SATs.” Oliver said, turning to his sister,

 

“Now, how did he manage to do that  _ and cure cancer _ ?”

 

“What’s going on?” Felicity asked hesitantly from where she was taking in the scene at the top of the stairs,

 

“Oh. We were talking about Carter Bowen.” Thea said, as Felicity climbed downstairs to stand next to her, “Mum was obsessed with how good of a son he was. Having Carter Bowen around while growing up was like having a perfect older sibling both me and Oliver were constantly being compared to.” Thea continued, her last few words a direct jab at her mother, though with the sparkle in her eyes and the turn of her lips, Moira could tell she was just teasing.

 

Moira sighed in exasperation, “Alright, yes. I get it. I might have overdone it a little.” She turned to all three of them, “Well, the Bowens are coming to lunch today. That’s why I asked you to come over, Oliver.”

 

Oliver grimaced. He should’ve known this was a trap. As it was, it was too late to make excuses.

 

“Of course, mom.”

 

“Good.” Moira let herself show a self-satisfied grin, “Now get changed, all three of you. Something dressy-casual please.”

 

It was only after Oliver and Felicity had closed the door to their room behind them that Felicity finally approached the topic she had been wanting to speak to him about since Diggle had called,

 

“Sooo…” Felicity began, clapping her hands in a nervous gesture, knowing this was a rather sensitive subject, “Diggle called me this morning.”

 

Oliver froze, then shut his eyes tight, cursing every bit of karma that was coming to bite him back in the ass now,

 

“That was pretty low of him. Tattling to the wife.”

 

“Oliver…” Felicity sighed, walked closer, turning Oliver around so that they were facing each other. He still wouldn’t look her in the eyes, “Why don’t you want to catch those robbers?”

 

Oliver shrugged, “My priority is the list, and what comes after that. I’m not trying to be a hero.” He looked at Felicity with that soft look in his eyes that always melted her on the spot, “I don’t want to be a hero. I just want to be your husband.”

 

Felicity smiled at him, “Well too bad you’re both of those people, isn’t it?”

 

Oliver scowled, a protest at the tip of his tongue, but Felicity didn’t let him start,

 

“Oliver, what you’re doing right now? Putting bad guys away? Saving people’s lives? You’re a hero, honey.” Felicity said, leaning into him, placing her hands on his crossed arms, “And even if nobody else in this city believes it yet, you’re  _ my _ hero.”

 

“This isn’t… this life isn’t supposed to be forever.” He tried to argue. It’s what they had decided. Cross off all the names on the list, and then they can finally get on with their lives.

 

“No.” Felicity agreed, “But, it doesn’t mean you can’t save other people’s lives whilst you’re on this crusade.” She hesitated, “You know? I saw the news report on that robbery. The cop that was shot? They interviewed his wife. They have a two year old and-”

 

Oliver closed his eyes, sighing. His wife knew him better than himself. She knew which buttons to push, what will weaken his resolve. He was glad she was in love with him. Otherwise, she would’ve completely destroyed him,

 

“Okay.”

 

Felicity brightened, “Okay?”

 

Oliver rolled his eyes. As if she didn’t know exactly how this conversation would go even before they stepped into this room,

 

“Okay.”

 

It was a good thing he was in love with her too. Otherwise he would’ve been a piece of shit human being.

 

“Good. Now that we’ve talked about that elephant in the room. You need to go changed, and so do I.” Felicity said and started to make her way out of the room. Oliver stopped her before she could leave his arms,

 

“Hey, where are you going?” He asked, and Felicity smiled prettily in response. Eagerness just threatening to burst through her skin,

 

“Thea asked me if I wanted to test outfits with her.” She jumped on her toes, “I haven’t had a typical girl friend in… maybe ever. This is exciting.”

 

“I told you you two would get along.” Oliver grinned back, happy that his wife was happy. Felicity rolled her eyes,

 

“Mr. Queen, smug isn’t a very good look on you.” She said before walking away. She remembered her mother telling how there wasn't a more effective way to form a bond with another girl than to do it over clothes.

 

Felicity was excited.

 

>\---------|>

 

Oliver was glad when Digg finally interrupted the lunch they were having with the Bowens. As expected, Carter Bowen had spent the past 15 minutes or so just  talking about himself whilst the rest of the table indulged him. What Oliver hadn’t expected was that Carter would also try to flirt with Felicity. Not that he was surprised. Oliver had accepted a long time ago that people were going to flirt with Felicity. After all, she was smart and beautiful and funny and charming. Doesn’t mean he had to like it. She was still his wife. Not that flirting with Felicity had gotten Carter anything except an uncomfortable Felicity and an annoyed patent Thea-glare. As it was, the faux pas had just served to make an already awkward lunch even more awkward, and Oliver was glad when Digg came around to call him away.

 

And maybe he took some childish glee when his wife’s mournful eyes followed him out of the room. Served her right, after guilt-tripping him into saving lives.

 

“I’m sorry, mom. This is work.” Oliver stood up, motioning to where Diggle was standing with a phone. Moira nodded, disappointed but understanding. After all, it had been a common occurrence with Robert, and though Walter was a lot more better at keeping his professional and personal life separate, with him gone on the ‘surprise trip to Australia’, no doubt Oliver had to carry a lot more responsibility.

 

“What did you find, Digg?”

 

“There was another robbery. First Bank of Starling. Two minutes ago.” Digg said. Oliver gave him a weird look,

 

“How did you know I was okay with looking into the robberies?” Diggle shrugged, trying to hide the growing smile on his face and failing,

 

“I guessed Felicity had already talked to you.” Is all he said. Oliver rolled his eyes,

 

“Yeah. We need to talk about that. You can’t just go tattle to my wife everytime we disagree.”

 

“Why would I argue with you when I can always go to the one person you always listen to?” Oliver narrowed his eyes at his logic, but couldn’t fault it. He rolled his eyes, and walked over to the car waiting outside the house. Knowing Digg, his suit’s already in the backseat,

 

“Just tell me where to go, Digg.”

 

>\---------|>

 

Tommy knew that he wasn’t thinking clearly. He was drunk, and it was barely evening. But he was also heartbroken, so the universe damn well make an exception for him and not give a hangover in the middle of the night. He walked up to the Queen Mansion, knowing his father was waiting for him at his home and not wanting to be confronted by him. He opened the door and called out only to get no reply. Perfect. He was alone. He sighed and walked upstairs to Ollie’s bedroom, figuring he’ll wait for Oliver there.

 

Oliver. Who was probably at QC, working. Because his best friend was a responsible adult now.

 

Unlike Tommy who woke up at lunch on a good day.

 

God, he was pathetic. No wonder Laurel doesn’t want to date him. Even he wouldn’t want to date him.

 

He plopped down on Ollie’s bed, sinking into the soft mattress and breathing in the surprising smell of light vanilla and lavender.

 

Since when did Oliver’s bed start smelling like a girl?

 

Tommy propped himself up on his elbows, trying to look at the room through alcohol-hazed eyes and taking in the subtle changes in its appearance. There were two laptops on the desk instead of one (a sleek Grey and a black), two bathrobes hanging from the back of the door (a baby pink and a dark green) instead of one, there was a jewellery stand on the dresser next to a giant bright purple makeup bag, and a variety of products that Tommy was sure didn’t belong to Oliver.

 

Shit. Was he in a different mansion?

 

Or worse. Moira’s room?

 

Just then, the door to the room opened, and in came the blonde woman Tommy had definitely seen before. Felicity. That was her name. She had testified at Oliver’s trial. She was carrying a pint of ice-cream in one hand and a wine glass in the other, a bottle of red tucked in her elbow. She stopped in her tracks when she saw him on the bed,

 

“Um… hello?”

 

“You’re Oliver’s girlfriend.” Tommy observed intelligently. He was slurring his words. This was bad. He was in his best friend's bedroom, drunk and his girlfriend was clearly having a self-pamper night.

 

“Felicity Smoak.” Felicity introduced herself, a bit of concern bleeding out in her voice at Tommy’s rather unfortunate appearance, “And you are Oliver’s best friend. Tommy Merlyn.” She hesitated before walking closer and sitting on the edge of the bed, “Are you okay?”

 

Tommy scoffed. What a stupid question. He was sure that at the moment he was looking anything but okay.

 

“Okay. Dumb question. Do you want to talk about it?”

 

Tommy looked at the woman in front of him weirdly, “No offence, lady, but I just met you.  I don’t think I want to air my dirty laundry in front of you just yet.” More quietly, he muttered to himself, “God knows I’ve had enough public humiliation to last me a lifetime.”

 

Felicity shrugged, “Touche. You don’t have to talk to me about it. But, Oliver’s going to be a bit late. He’s at the office.” She looked down at the ice-cream pint in her hands, “I was just going to spend the rest of my night with movies, ice-cream and wine. I don’t think you need anymore alcohol, but you’re welcome to join me otherwise.”

 

Tommy thought about it for a second. He didn’t have enough energy to walk back downstairs, and besides, what harm could it do?

 

“I might take you up on that, Felicity.” Felicity's smile widened, and Tommy felt just a tiny bit lighter at her radiance,

 

“Good. Then, we’re watching _Legally Blonde_ , _Mean Girls,_ _13 turned 30_ and _Bring it on!_ in that order.”

 

“Sure, whatever. I can do chick flicks .”

 

Tommy didn't even last 10 minutes into the first movie before he exclaimed,

 

“Oh, This is SUCH BULLSHIT!”

 

Felicity jumped, coughing when the ice-cream she had been eating went through the wrong pipe. She looked over at Tommy who was laying in bed beside her to find him holding back tears as Warren broke up with Elle,

 

“Are you-” He cut her off,

 

“No, Of course I’m not okay! What did Elle even do to deserve this! God, imagine how humiliated she was… And why did he even break up with her again? Because she wasn’t good enough for him?! Bullshit! She’s pretty and kind and clearly loves him! So what if she has a bit of fun every now and then and is a bit of a goofball? Goofballs are cute.” Tommy ranted, not even moving his eyes away from the screen where Elle was now full on sobbing in the restaurant, “Warren’s such a fucking dick.”

 

“Yes he is.” Felicity agreed. Tommy jumped, having forgotten there was someone else there with him. He blushed when he realised he had managed to create yet another scene in one day, and was about to apologize when Felicity continued, “And Elle does deserve better. That is one of the reasons why I love this movie so much. It shows you that you don't need a significant other to be the best version of yourself. And that sometimes the person you love isn't meant for you, but that's okay, because there's always someone much better waiting for you.”

 

Tommy stared at the woman sitting beside him. Felicity had a small smile on her face as she talked, something that was kind and compassionate and lovely. It made Tommy feel better, and he turned towards the TV to watch the rest of the movie in a much calmer state.

 

By the time legally blonde finished, both Tommy and Felicity were in stitches, 

 

“Oh my God, I can't believe she won the case because she knew perms!” Tommy wheezed. And maybe they shouldn't find it all that hilarious, but there was an empty wine bottle next to them and an empty pint of ice cream next to that. Suffice to say both of them were at least slightly drunk and on a sugar high, 

 

“But did you see the look on Warren's face?! Priceless!”

 

Tommy turned to her when they had both calmed down, “Did you mean what you said? About there always being someone better for everyone?”

 

“Sure.” Felicity shrugged, “I mean, when I was 19, I was sure that my boyfriend was it for me. We had the same interests, the same style, we were on the same intellectual level. It had seemed like a match made in geek-heaven at that time.”

 

“What happened then?”

 

“Turns out, I didn't know him as well as I thought I did. The guy turned out to be a massive douchebag. And quite dumb for someone with such a high IQ. But it was for the better anyway, because a while later I met Oliver. And me and him are different in a lot of ways, but I can confidently say that I know him better than anyone else.”

 

Tommy processed that for a second, “So, you and Oliver are serious then?”

 

Felicity gave him a cheeky wink, “Serious enough that I'm living with him, his mother, sister and step father.”

 

Tommy raised a brow. He didn't pretend to know Oliver all that well ever since he'd come back from the island (God knows shut like that would change anybody) but it was still unusual for him to move this fast with a girl. Considering he and Laurel dated for 3 years and at the first sign of commitment, Ollie ran away with Laurel's sister. 

 

Tommy winced. He really shouldn't have thought about Laurel. 

 

Felicity looked at his expression, and softened, “You know you can talk to me, right? I won't judge.”

 

Tommy sighed. Felicity had been incredibly non-judgmental this far. And who knew? Talking might help. 

 

“Okay, so the simple way of putting it would be to say that I got dumped.”

 

Felicity raised a brow, “What would be the complicated version?”

 

“That I thought I was trying to prove to Laurel that I would be a good boyfriend for her by taking her out on dates and trying to be considerate but she just told me that she just saw me as a friends with benefits kind of a guy and would never want to be in a relationship with me.”

 

Felicity winced, “Ah… She pulled a Warren on you.”

 

Tommy scoffed at the accuracy, “She sure did. I don't even know what to do anymore.”

 

“I know what you should do.” Felicity said nonchalantly, shrugging. 

 

“Oh yeah? And what's that?”

 

“You gotta pull an Elle Woods of course.” Tommy laughed at her matter of fact tone 

 

“Of course.” He agreed jokingly, but sobered up slightly when he realised Felicity was being genuine, “You know? You're kinda like her.”

 

Felicity frowned, “Who? Laurel?”

 

Tommy snorted, “God no. You and Laurel couldn't be more different. I meant you're a lot like Elle Woods.”

 

“How's that?”

 

“Well, you're both kind, and genuine, and big hearted and smart.” Tommy started, and tugged at Felicity's hair before continuing, “Not to mention, you're both very blonde.”

 

Felicity grinned, “I dye it, actually. Please don't tell anyone. No one except Oliver knows.”

 

Tommy chuckled, “Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me. And my point still stands. You're my Elle Woods.”

 

Felicity shrugged, “I can live with that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo... A very Tommy heavy chapter. My baby is finally learning to move on and build healthier relationships.
> 
> The laurel-copier scene was heavily inspired by the b99 4x13 episode called the audit. It was hilarious. DM me if watch the series and we can be best friends.
> 
> Also, flommy is finally LIVING! Tune in onto the next chapter to see Oliver's reaction to finding his wife in bed with his best friend (platonically y'all pull your mind from the gutter geez)
> 
> Anyway, kudos and feedback keep me alive so give me both. Also, if you wanna be notified about each update, you can find me on Twitter @in_enochian and on tumblr @inenochian
> 
> -byeeeee  
> \--ms


	14. The World Is Not Perfect But It's Not That Bad (If We Have Each Other)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter name is from the lyrics of the song 'If we have each other' by Alec Benjamin
> 
> Wow, I'm writing so fast. But, Like I said before, I want to finish this. I do have another Olicity fic in the works, but I won't post it until I have at least a few solid chapters. Thank you for all the massive response last chapter. I know the crossover wasn't easy, but we survived it, you guys! Now, we just have to tough it out till Jan 21 :(
> 
> @rebeccas1016, You're practically the only one who did! I know I'm a bit obsessed with the song, but GODDD it's an amazing song!
> 
> @EndlessPages, oh my god but could you imagine Felicity and Gina? Husband and father Oliver wit Terry comparing parenting and workout notes simultaneously?? Ugh. This was the crossover we deserved.
> 
> @ShippingTrash4Life, I actually haven't seen the musical yet (ik, shame) but I did watch the youtube clip for the 'He's GAY' part of the script. That was HILARIOUS!
> 
> Anyway, I don't want to babble too much! Go ahead into the chapter,
> 
> HAPPY READING!!

Oliver came back home that night, haggard and dead on his feet. The entire day had been spent on meetings and going through quarterly reports of Queen Consolidated subsidiaries in New Delhi. Walter had really chosen the busiest time of the year to go to Australia. Oliver wasn’t sure why he did either. All his mother or Walter’s assistant would say was that he had to take care of QC business.

 

Which was strange, but Walter had made a habit of discussing all the happenings of the office with Oliver. Preparing him to be the next CEO. But, Oliver didn’t think too much about it, maybe the situation had been too urgent to explain. After all, Walter did leave quite abruptly. Oliver decided that he would call and check in on the man if he hasn't contacted him by tomorrow morning.

 

Which reminded him, he still had to go and check out that stupid warehouse.

 

Oliver sighed. It’s not like anyone knows that they know about it. Considering that whatever’s in it has been stored there for 3 years now, one more day couldn’t hurt.

 

The warehouse was, like Felicity would say, tomorrow’s problem.

 

The mansion was quiet when Oliver stepped in, it was around 11 o’clock at night, and the staff had already left. Oliver walked upstairs, and relaxed further when he heard the TV on in his and Felicity’s bedroom. At least, she was awake. And well, he wasn’t so tired that he couldn’t fool around for a couple of rounds before actually going to bed.

 

Only, when he did open the door to his bedroom, he saw Felicity asleep, next to an empty bottle of wine and a finished pint of ice-cream.

 

And a sleeping Tommy.

 

She was sleeping next to Tommy.

 

_ What the fuck? _

 

Oliver looked over at the TV where Mean Girls was playing (a movie he had been extremely familiar with. Felicity found it ‘iconic’) and then looked back at where Felicity and Tommy were sleeping in their bed (their as in Oliver and Felicity not Felicity and Tommy thank you very much) looking as if they had essentially been in the middle of a sleepover.

 

Oliver thought again,  _ What in the actual fuck? _

 

He silently walked over to Felicity’s side of the bed, a crouched down till they were on the same level. He placed his palm on her cheek, stroking the soft skin under her eyes and whispering her name till she stirred awake,

 

“ ‘liver?” Her voice was thick with sleep, and Oliver’s brow raised wondering when this middle-school sleepover had actually started,

 

“Hey honey,” He kept his voice light, even teasing, “want to tell me what you’re doing in bed with my best friend?”

 

“What?” It was obvious she was still out of it. She rolled her head over to the other side, and jerked violently when she saw who was laying beside her, “What?...oh.” The memories of the past few hours came back in a split second and Felicity relaxed,

 

“Oh?” Oliver questioned. Felicity blushed, and turned to give Oliver a sheepish smile,

 

“I was planning on having a quiet night in. So, I went on an ice-cream run, got a bottle of wine from the cellar downstairs. I asked Moira, she was cool with it. And I loaded all the iconic movies of the 2000’s-”

 

“Still doesn’t explain the presence of another man in out bed, hun.” Oliver cut her off. 

 

Felicity rolled her eyes, “Oh please don’t make it sound so sordid. Anyway, as I was saying, I came up to the room, prepared to spend the rest of the night in lazy-heaven only to find your bestfriend moping in our bed.”

 

Oliver raised a brow, looked over at Tommy with mild concern, now that he thought about it, his eyes did look a bit puffy. “Did he tell you what happened?”

 

“In simple terms, he got dumped by Laurel.” Oliver raised a brow,

 

“I didn’t even though they were a thing.” Felicity agreed, sat up and leaned against the headboard now that she was more awake. Oliver joined her on the bed when she scooted enough to make space for him,

 

“Neither did I. But, apparently it was messy. Very legally blonde. You know, Warner and Elle not Elle and Emmett and Elle.”

 

Oliver’s other brow also raised, “You mean she broke up with him in public?” Felicity’s eyes softened,

 

“I love you.” She said suddenly out of nowhere. Oliver grinned, confused but always pleased.

 

“For what?” He asked her. She leaned over just enough to peck him on the lips once,

 

“For knowing exactly what I’m talking about.”

 

“Yeah well, I’ve been watching chick-flicks like those ever since we started dating. If I didn’t know who you were talking about, I wouldn’t be a very good husband, now would I?”

 

“Still. It’s very sweet. I know you don’t always like them.” Oliver shrugged,

 

“And you hate _Die Hard_ but you indulge me anyway. It’s called compromise honey.” Felicity rolled her eyes at his smartass comment, but decided to get back to the subject at hand,

 

“Apparently she did it at CNRI? I don’t know a lot of details. But, he was upset and you were going to be late. So, I lend him my ears and shared my ice-cream and wine.” Oliver hmmed,

 

“That was very nice of you.” Felicity raised a brow,

 

“I can sense a but coming.”

 

“But, where are we going to sleep now?” Felicity rolled her eyes. Sometimes, it was like Oliver almost forgot that he lived in a mansion,

 

“Honey, there are 5 empty bedrooms in this wing alone. Let’s just go next door.”

 

Tommy kept his eyes closed and his breathing even as he heard the couple move out of bed and into the bathroom. They came out a couple minutes later, Felicity softly giggling about something, but Tommy’s feelings were a whirlwind. As soon as the door closed behind them, he opened his eyes to the darkened bedroom, the bed cleared of all the rubbish.

 

On one hand, he really like Felicity. And he was glad Oliver had someone as bright as her in his life.

 

But, on the other hand,  _ Husband? _

 

>\---------|>

 

Oliver was bored out of his mind. He had been staring at his computer screen for the past hour, trying to understand the report that the R&D department had send him just that afternoon on their new solar powered cells, and at least 65% of it was going right over his head. Which, he knew wasn’t all that uncommon. CEOs according to Walter rarely understood the details of the projects their technological department was undertaking, but ever since the whole Tempest incident, Oliver had been paranoid, and had wanted to understand the workings of his company as well as he could.

 

He looked up at the knock that sounded on his door, and saw Paul enter, Felicity just behind him. He smiled and looked down at his watch to realise it was already a little past his regular lunch time. He was glad. A break wouldn’t hurt.

 

“Hey.” He stood up to greet his wife with a kiss, and Paul left silently, a small smile on his face that Oliver didn’t really understand but couldn’t bother with.

 

“Hi. You busy?”

 

“Hmm. But, maybe you can help. That report is mostly technological jargon.” He told her and Felicity brightened,

 

“Ah! My specialty.” She brought one of her hands up to show the paper bag she was carrying, “I bought big belly.” And then she raised her other hand where she was carrying her laptop bag, “And I also found something on our bank robbers.”

 

“I see you’ve been busy.” He said as they made their way back to his desk. She took his seat behind the desktop, going through the report and he leaned on the table beside her chair, taking out the magenta folder from the laptop bag. 

 

The file contained bio-data on Kyle Reston, a 17 year old highschool dropout. Apparently, Felicity had got a match by catching his class ring on the CCTV camera. He flipped through other pages, He had a mother, a brother, a father- Oliver paused on that page- 

 

Derek Reston.

 

A QC employee.

 

“Felicity? Derek Reston?” Felicity looked up from the screen with a grimace,

 

“Yes. He used to work with your father in the Steel factory. But, then Robert Queen decided to move his business to China without a warning. Everybody lost their job. His lawyers even found a loophole so that he wouldn’t have to pay pension.”

 

Oliver stayed silent for a moment, letting that sink in. Another criminal in the city. Another one of his father’s mistakes. “So, this just comes back to my father again, doesn’t it? It’s his fault.”

 

“No, it’s not.” Felicity said, she sounded adamant, “Oliver everybody has a choice. Robert Queen made a wrong one when he shut that factory down so abruptly, but Derek Reston made a choice too. He made the choice to become a criminal. That’s no ones fault but his own.”

 

Oliver shook his head, “I don’t think it’s that black and white.”

 

Felicity sighed, stood up till she was standing in between his legs, hands on his chest, “Maybe. But, I know whose fault it isn’t.”

 

Oliver looked up, a question clear in his eyes, and Felicity pressed his cheeks between her hands, pulling his face closer till their foreheads touched, “You. I know you’re beating yourself up about it, but it’s not your fault. We are not our parents’ sins.”

 

Oliver nodded, knowing she was right. After all, how could she not be? Oliver had spent months trying to convince her of the same whenever her father managed to show up in her life, weather it be in person or through nightmares.

 

It was the one nightmare that they had in common. 

  
  


“But, I still have to give him a chance make this right.” He stated, and Felicity nodded, their noses touching lightly.

 

“Yes, you do. Not because you think this was your father’s doing. But, because you’re a good man, and this is what you do. Because you’re a hero.”

 

Oliver sighed heavily, feeling his mind clear even as it filled with Felicity. Her warmth and her vanilla scent. His arms banded tighter around her. Her red lips and pink cheeks. He tilted his face up till their mouths touched. Her blue eyes and golden hair. He closed his eyes till all he could see and feel and hear was Felicity. Just Felicity.

 

He was drowning in her. He was flying with her.

 

_ How does she do it? _ He wonders, it’s been years but he wonders every day,  _ How does she make everything that is dark and cold and angry in him just disappear? _

 

She’s like magic to him.

 

>\----------|>

 

Laurel Lance was on a mission. A mission to not only save her career, but the career for 14 other employees. She had to save CNRI somehow, and she had spent the entirety of yesterday thinking about what she might work. What she desperately needed was enough money to organise a fundraiser. And powerful connections who could actually afford to donate to the cause.

 

She didn’t have either of those things. But, she did know who did.

 

She walked into the Queen Consolidated building with her head high, before the gambit sunk, Moira had made sure that Laurel was on the list of people who was granted entry into QC whenever she wanted. It was around the time Ollie had agreed to intern at his father’s company. The internship itself hadn’t lasted very long (he started on a monday and quit on monday night) but nobody had bothered to retract her from that permanent visitor’s list. She gets herself a visitor’s badge at the reception without a hitch and makes her way to the top floor where she knows via Tommy where Ollie’s office is.

 

Laurel is pleasantly surprised to see a man sitting in the executive assistant’s desk outside Ollie’s office. She was sure he would take the first opportunity he got to get himself a pretty secretary. But the man, Paul Richard, the desk plaque says, is very much a male. And he looks up when he hears the click of Laurel’s kitten heel shoes. His brows furrow and Laurel comes to stand in front of him,

 

“Hi. Is Ollie in?”

 

“Depends. Do you have an appointment?” Laurel crosses her arms,

 

“I’m pretty sure this is lunch hour.” She gives up her defensive stance with a sigh when he just scowls at her, “Look, I’m Laurel Lance. Can you at least see if he’s free or not?”

 

Paul stares at her defiantly for a second before getting up with a sigh. “I’ll ask.” He says rather reluctantly, and Laurel decides to follow him. After all, what are the chances that Ollie would say no to seeing her.

 

“Mr. Queen?” Paul deliberately opens the door just enough to poke his head in. His boss’ girlfriend is visiting him for lunch. Paul knows what that usually means. But, Mr. Queen and Ms. Smoak aren’t doing anything scandalous. In fact, Paul is pretty sure they’re just working. Ms. Smoak sitting on his boss’ seat while the man himself leans on the desk beside her chair. One would wonder who was the boss of the company for a second. Or maybe they would wonder if they aren’t just running the establishment together? Like partners.

 

Oliver looks up at Paul with a questioning look in his eyes. According to his watch, he still has 20 minutes left in his lunch break, and no appointments till at least 4 in the afternoon. Paul fidgets,

 

“There is a Laurel Lance here for you… I can’t tell her to come back later with an appointment?” Oliver looked at Felicity with a raised brow, wondering what Laurel could want with him that couldn’t wait till business hours were over, but Felicity just shrugged, clueless herself.

 

“It’s fine, Paul. Ask her in.” Laurel doesn’t wait for Paul to ask her in. She enters just as he widens the door, and doesn’t miss as the guy rolls his eyes at her smug smile before closing the door behind her.

 

She turns to face Oliver, but her smile falls off of her face when she sees that blonde woman from back at the courtroom and even before at the Thai restaurant back again, this time sitting in Oliver’s seat in his office.

 

Oh. Laurel was sure she wasn’t going to last this long. Or look so comfortable in Ollie’s surroundings.

 

“Laurel. I suppose introductions are in order. This is Felicity, she’s my girlfriend.” Oliver says when all Laurel does is stare at Felicity with confusion. Laurel shakes her head, clearing the confusion plaguing her mind momentarily before stepping forward and going for a hand shake.

 

“Felicity, of course. I remember, you were the one that testified at the court during Oliver’s trial.”

 

“Yes. And you’re Laurel. I heard you worked as a lawyer. At the CNRI.” Felicity refrains from bringing up Tommy, knowing this could get really awkward really fast, but it’s a neat thing.

 

Felicity’s look towards her is a bit frosty, and while in most cases Laurel might feel uncomfortable, she takes pleasure in knowing that she (as Ollie’s ex) makes Felicity (Ollie’s current girlfriend) uncomfortable. Maybe Ollie still talks about her. After all, Ollie was hardly ever considerate of a girl’s feeling when it came to talking about his past conquests.

 

Not that Laurel considers herself a conquest. No, Laurel is sure she’s pretty much his only experience at a real relationship.

 

“So, Laurel? What brings you at QC?” Laurel gave Ollie a charming smile, a took a seat on the other side of the dark cherry wood desk,

 

“I actually needed a favor. A favor that could be good for the both of us.” Oliver raised a brow, intrigued, so Laurel continued,

 

“Stag Industries pulled their funds out from CNRI. It was all very sudden, we didn’t get any warning. But, we need the money if we want to stay open.” She gave Ollie an earnest look, “You know how much good happens there. I was hoping you wouldn’t mind organising a fundraiser for CNRI. It would be good PR for Queen Consolidated too!” She added the last part hastily, and smiled when Ollie seemed to be thinking it over. Five years ago, he would’ve said yes to her without a thought, after all throwing money away came as easily as a second nature to him. But, Ollie is more mature now. He needs to think how this will affect the rest of the business. Laurel can respect that. Even admires him for it.

 

What she can’t respect, and almost can’t believe is when Oliver turns to his blonde girlfriend, silently asking for her opinion on this entire matter. As if her opinion should matter. Laurel clenches her fists on her lap, but says nothing.

 

It’s just a phase. None of Ollie’s flings last very long. She reminds herself.

 

Felicity and him exchange a number of silent looks, conversing without saying a word before Oliver turns to talk to Laurel again,

 

“CNRI is a good cause, but I can’t just give you my word, Laurel. I need to talk to people in HR and the PR department. But, I’ll set up the meetings, and you’ll get a call as soon as we’ve decided.”

 

If Laurel’s peeved by the vague response, she doesn’t show it. She just smiles, and thanks him. When he makes no motion to continue their conversation, Laurel gives him another awkward smile and gets up, walking out of his office with a ‘I’ll see you later, Ollie.’ 

 

Oliver just nods in response, in truth, Oliver isn’t feeling very generous towards her after he saw the state Tommy was in yesterday. He was still sleeping by the time Oliver and Felicity woke up and got ready to go to their respective workplaces. And Oliver knows he doesn’t have the right to pass any judgements when it comes to being a jerk in a relationship, but Oliver never claimed to be righteous in that sense. He’s in a good relationship right now, so people who treat their significant others with rudeness or inconsiderately really irritate him. But at the same time, Laurel was right when she said CNRI was a good cause, and it will definitely help with the PR (especially after that report of the head of security of QC getting shot in his own home), so he will bring up the proposal to the PR department, and they can handle everything themselves from there.

 

When Laurel leaves, the door closing behind her, Oliver turns to look at Felicity,

 

“I need to talk to Derek Reston. Can you get an address?”

 

“On it.”

 

>\------------|>

 

Thea hadn’t had much reasons to party recently. Or well, she had, but none of them were legitimate so she had refrained from getting drunk for absolutely no reason at all. It was a promise she had made to herself the same day her brother had caught her with Molly in her purse. Ollie had called her the purest part of him. And yes, she wasn’t magically healed from all those years of neglect after Oliver and her father were lost to see and before Walter came into the picture, but Thea had sworn she would try.

 

For her brother. For herself.

 

It’s probably why she was so happy now. She had just heard her mother on the phone, probably talking to someone in the company, about a fundraiser that they were holding for CNRI. And a fundraiser almost always meant free alcohol. Thea had no intention of getting drunk, but she didn’t think getting a little tipsy every now and then should be that big of a deal. She went upstairs in search for Felicity, for a computer geek, Ollie’s new girlfriend had really good makeup skills, and Thea was adamant about choosing Felicity’s dress herself. She was like a life-sized barbie, and Thea has always been into those online dress-up games.

 

But, when she entered Oliver’s room, neither he or Felicity were in. She supposed both of them were at work. That’s not what surprised her though. It was the fact that instead Tommy was sleeping in their bed. Thea walked closer, careful to stay quiet, but Tommy stirred anyway. He opened his eyes with a groan, and shut them just as fast when the sunlight hit him like a slap in the face from the wide open windows,

 

“Tommy?” Thea asked, concerned, because his eyes were red and there were pillow creases on his cheek and neck and arms and he was still sleeping in his studded jeans. Tommy rolled over so that the sun was hitting his back and squinted at Thea,

 

“Speedy? What are you doing here?”

 

“I was looking for Felicity. What’re you doing here?”

 

“Felicity? Last time I checked she was sleeping next to me. I can’t really remember what happened after that…” Thea gasped, horrified and took a step back from the bed,

 

“Did you sleep with her?! Tommy, Ollie will kill you! He actually really loves her!!” Tommy jerked up, startled at the ridiculous accusation,

 

“What?! Of course not! We just spent the night watching chick flicks and eating ice-cream because I got dumped. I’m not crazy enough to be on your brother’s shit list. Especially now that he’s so fucking jacked up.”

 

Thea relaxed, sighing in relief. She didn’t know what she would’ve done herself if Tommy had in fact slept with Felicity. Though, with the way Ollie and Felicity sometimes looked at each other, the chances of Felcitiy herself cheating on her brother were pretty slim to none.

 

“Wait- you got dumped? By whom? I didn’t know you were seeing someone.” Tommy scoffed,

 

“Yeah well, turns out I’m the only person who thought we were going out. She just wanted to be fuck buddies.”

 

Thea softened. This was really hurting him, she could tell. Thea had always liked Tommy, sometimes not strictly in ways she should’ve. After all, who wouldn’t, at some point fall for Tommy Merlyn? HE was handsome and charming and funny, and towards Thea, he was genuinely caring and protective.

 

“Well, whoever she is, She’s clearly a bitch who can’t tell when she’s thrown away the best thing that was probably ever going to happen to her.”

 

Tommy snorted, “I don’t think Laurel would like to hear you say that.”

 

Thea blinked, piecing together multiple things in her head, “It was Laurel? She needs funds for the CNRI?”

Tommy looked at her confused, “Yeah. How did you know? I offered to help her out but she said she didn’t want my money.”

 

Thea scoffed, “Well that’s rich, cause I’m pretty sure she went to Ollie for help. Apparently, QC is hosting a fundraiser for CNRI.”

 

Tommy looked sad at the news. Not sad as if he was devastated, but sad in a way that he was disappointed, but not exactly surprised, “And Oliver agreed?” Tommy asked.

 

“I heard mom talking about improving QC’s reputation. I’m pretty sure Ollie only agreed to it because it’ll be a great PR stunt. QC needs all the help it can get, especially some guy working in the company was shot. It was in the papers everywhere.”

 

Tommy nodded, but he didn’t look too convinced. Thea didn’t know what else to say stop him from looking so mopey. She sighed,

 

“Hey, go freshen up. Take a shower, borrow some of Ollie’s clothes. I’ll make sure Raisa makes you some greasy bacon and eggs for breakfast, okay?”

 

Tommy gave her a tiny smile. It still made her heart skip a beat,

 

“Thanks, Speedy.” Thea decided to let the nick name go this one time.

 

“Anytime, Tommy.”

 

It wasn’t until Tommy had showered and changed into a pair of jeans and a henley (they  _ hung _ on him, jesus) that he remembered the conversation he had heard half-asleep between Felicity and Oliver. 

 

Felicity and _ her husband _ .

 

Ollie was _ married _ .

 

At least one thing was clear. He needed to tell Thea.

 

>\------------|>

 

Oliver came back to the foundry feeling completely and utterly defeated, feeling as if someone had gone and punched him right in the soul. 

No one was supposed to die. He had stopped doing that. 

 

God, what would Felicity think?

 

He was supposed to help Derek Reston, and when that hadn’t done jack, he was supposed to get arrested. Derek Reston was a victim. His father’s victim. It was ironical wasn’t it? 

 

Derek Reston lost his living because of Robert Queen, and then lost his life because of Robert Queen’s son.

 

_ God, what would Felicity think??? _

 

His steps down the foundry were almost silent. And in what felt like years, maybe even ever, Oliver was dreading seeing Felicity.

 

That wasn’t completely true. He would love to see Felicity, love to hold her in his arms, bury himself in hers. What he wasn’t looking forward to was what she would think of him now?

 

They were over this. Over Oliver getting people killed because of his own carelessness. And Oliver has never wanted to go back to that guilt. That guilt he feels at the base of his throat now, the kind of guilt that never really goes away. The kind of guilt that becomes a part of you till you become a part of something brighter; someone lighter.

 

The kind of guilt that holds you captive till a Felicity Cutler comes into your life and frees you from it’s shackles with her fingers and eyes and palms and lips and  _ kisses _ .

 

Felicity is waiting for him, sitting behind her computers (her throne, she used to say back at ARGUS). He keeps his head down, senses her eyes on him more than anything else as he places the bow calmly on the med table (a forced calm. A calm that hides the sounds of his soul being torn), he doesn’t say a word as he walks closer to her. Knows that if she doesn’t want him near her right now (please, _please_ no) then she’ll turn away and just shut him out.

 

He’ll deserve it.

 

But, she doesn’t move.

 

Neither of them breath till he’s right in front of her. HE can’t bring himself to look her in the eyes. Instead, his gaze falls and settles on her hands,

Soft hands. Steady hands. Hands that hold him together when he’s about to break apart at the very seams. They reach for him now, frame his face just as he closes his eyes shut. 

 

Soft hands. Steady hands. Hands that keep him sane when his nightmares make him want to lose his mind. They reach for him now, provide him with salvation when he feels most like a monster.

 

“This wasn’t your fault.” She whispers. Stands on her tiptoes till their noses touch, till their lips brush, and she says “This wasn’t your fault.”

 

This wasn’t your fault, hun.

 

None of this was your fault, honey.

 

He imagines her saying the same sentence with different words, with different lilts in her voice,

 

But nothing feels as real as when she presses their lips together, and her soul speaks to him,

 

This wasn’t your fault, Oliver.

 

“I feel like it was.” He whispers back when she pulls away (too far too fast) (she’s inches away, they’re breathless)

 

“I know you do.” He looks up enough to meet her eyes. It’s a struggle, but once he does, he can’t look away. They’re shining. With tears, and love and determination, “But it wasn’t. I know it wasn’t. And only my opinion matters, remember?”

 

His lips twitch for barely a second, but it’s enough for Felicity to sigh a tiny breath in relief.

 

“Only yours matters.” Oliver agrees.

 

Everything else on the earth is fucked up. To everyone else he’s a monster. But, here, in her arms, his world is thriving. Here, in her arms, he’s just a man, in love with a woman, too good for him but _his_ nonetheless.

 

And for tonight, that’s enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh the olicity feeeellllsssss these two will be the reason I die I swear.
> 
> Also, Tommy know?! Does he?! WHATTT (It's in the tags. you shouldn't be surprised)
> 
> Also, don't worry, This isn't going to be a Thea/Tommy fic. I did get that suggestion since I'm technically writing an AU and could easily make them unrelated, but even writing Thea's puppy crush on him gives me the heebie jeebies so it'll be a hard pass. Sorry.
> 
> Not a lot of Diggle, which is sad, but in my defence there are only so many characters I can fit in 4k words, and I was feeling kinda petty today, so I went for more Laurel instead.
> 
> As you can tell, my schedule is kinda wacko at the moment, so if you want to be notified on when I update (Or I kinda sometimes tweet while writing which is kinda fun, and we can always chat), you can find me on twitter @in_enochian and on tumblr @inenochian
> 
> byee  
> -ms


	15. If You Leave Me, Baby (Let Me Down Slowly)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo.. Last chapter's feed back was amazing. Thank you so much!! I've been writing like crazy this past week. Let's hope that this momentum continues. I hope you like this chapter. Tommy's finally in the know, and I can't wait to play with his character <3 <3
> 
> @AnnaCI, I was actually thinking of posting a flashback every 10th chapter, and if the story finishes before I'm done with the flashbacks, I'll continue them in one-shots. I really like how much you guys enjoy them.
> 
> @Sonica_B, you have no idea how cathartic it is to write this!! I can't just take all of Oliver's bullshit and just not make it exist anymore. It's amazing. I'm glad you're enjoying it as much as I am.
> 
> @rebeccas1016, I gave dear Evan Hansen and a listen and ohmygod i'm SOBBINGGG
> 
> ANyway, thank you for all the comments and reviews and kudos! And I hope you enjoy this chapter.
> 
> HAPPY READING!!

Tommy knocked on Thea’s bedroom door, his heart filled with apprehension. Oliver being married was a possibility he had considered lightly when it like that had still sounded ridiculous. But, now he had proof. Hell, he basically had a confession, and suddenly the entire thing had turned too real to be funny or exciting.

 

Thea opened the door. She was wearing a short black dress, sequinned and asymmetrical with her long hair tied in a chignon. Tommy raised a brow at her,

  
“You going somewhere?” Thea looked at him, deadpan,

 

“Yeah. The CNRI gala? The entire Queen family has to make an appearance.” She hesitated before asking, “Are you going to come? I heard mom talking about meeting your dad their for some kind of a business proposal. Which doesn't really make much sense because ever since Oliver took Walter’s place as temporary CEO, she hasn't really had to go into the office.”

 

Tommy frowned, felt the same tinge in his heart that he did every time he thought about Laurel,

 

“No. No, I think I’ll pass.” Thea nodded understandingly,

 

“Is there something you wanted to talk about?” She looked down at the delicate watch bracelet that was dangling from her wrist, “I have exactly 10 minutes before I'm too late to be considered fashionably late.” Tommy rolled his eyes, figured he was going to need much more than 10 minutes to talk about something this large,

 

“No. You go. This can wait.” Thea smiled at him, and started walking past him. He called out to her just as she’d reached the stairs when an idea popped into his head,

 

“Hey, Thea?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“You said everybody in the Queen family. Is Oliver going?”

 

“Sure. Actually, I'm pretty sure he’s already there.”

 

“And I'm guessing he’s taking Felicity as his plus one?” Thea rolled her eyes,

 

“Who else? It’s not like he talks to anyone other than me, mom, Felicity, and strangely his bodyguard.” She paused, before saying, “Hey, you know you can just stay here if you don’t wanna go back to your place, right? Take the guest room next to mine if you want.”

 

Tommy smiled, “Thanks, Speedy.”

 

“It’s still ‘Thea’, Tommy.” She called out as she went.

 

Tommy waited till he heard the front door shut. It was late enough that all the staff has gone home, so he was essentially alone. Making up his mind, he went over to Oliver’s bedroom.

 

The room was dark, and when he switched on the lights, it was also kind of messy. There was a trail of clothes starting on the floor next to the bed, leading all the way to the bathroom, and as much as Tommy loved Oliver like a brother and as much as Tommy had warmed up to Felicity as a friend, he never wanted to think about them doing the nasty. Unfortunately, looking at the trail, he could think of nothing else but.

 

He shook his head, and instead went over to the two laptops sitting on the desk on the other side of the room. He opened up the black one and booted it up. The lock screen was a generic dark green, Welcoming Oliver Queen and asking for a password.

 

Tommy thought for a second, and typed out ‘060585’ (Oliver’s birthday) but it showed an error. Tommy hesitated, at a loss. Before the gambit, Oliver’s birthday was his password on everything. He thought harder, figured it couldn't hurt to try, and typed out ‘Felicity Smoak’ but it was another error,

 

Tommy sighed and leaned back into the chair, closing his eyes. Why did he think this would be so easy? His eyes, when they opened, landed on a framed picture of Oliver and Felicity sitting on the desk. Tommy hadn't noticed it the last time he was here, but it was a cute picture. Almost as if it was taken mid-selfie, with Felicity mid-word as if explaining the concept of a selfie and Oliver looking downright confused,

  


Tommy smiled at the picture, picked up the frame so that he could look at it more closely. He frowned when he saw there was another photograph peeking from underneath it. He flipped the frame over and opened the little latch, taking out both the photographs. The second one was a slightly discoloured polaroid. Both Oliver and Felicity looked much younger in it, their hair longer than how they kept them now. The photo paper itself looked considerably old, slightly yellowed and wrinkled with age. At the bottom of the polaroid, in small letters and black ink, were the words;

 

28 Nov ‘10

Anniversary

  


Tommy gulped. This was proof enough. He took a deep breath, pocketed the photo and put everything else back in its place before getting up. He needed to calm down. And he won’t be able to do it at Oliver’s place when he was the one bringing up all these confused emotions inside him. He walked out and into his car, determined to drive till he could clear out all these thoughts jumbled in his head.

 

>\----------|>

 

“Do we really have to be here?” Oliver whispered inconspicuously in Felicity's ear, making sure they were far away enough from the other attendees that nobody could hear them. The gala was in full swing, and Felicity and Oliver had just arrived, rather reluctantly, from the foundry after changing into appropriate clothing.

 

“Yes.” Felicity turned to look at Oliver with narrowed eyes, “Your mother caught me off-guard this afternoon, and I had to promise that the both of us would be here. Besides, you’re the one who agreed to this fundraiser in the first place.”

 

Oliver rolled his eyes, “No, I didn't. I simply proposed it to the PR department. It’s going to be good for the company. I just don’t understand why we have to be here.”

 

“Maybe because we’re the hosts?” Felicity replied sarcastically and maybe a bit too snappily. She sighed, realising she was being unnecessarily mean, “I'm sorry. That was uncalled for.”

 

Oliver frowned, worried, “Hey, everything okay?” Felicity smiled at him, scratching her head sheepishly,

 

“Yeah. Yeah, I'm just… you know that feeling you get in your head before getting a giant migraine? It’s very irritating.”

 

Oliver frown softened, his eyes turning sympathetic. He pulled Felicity closer to place a kiss on her temple, “We can always so back home and get some rest. I know you've been working non-stop ever since we checked out that warehouse.”

 

Felicity shook her head. She had been disappointed when Oliver had finally gotten enough time to check out the warehouse only for it to turn up empty. There had been no security cameras outside the warehouse that Felicity could hack into and look through so that she could understand what was taken (because she was sure there was no way that place had been empty). This entire conspiracy involving Moira, Queen Consolidated and The Tempest was getting a little out of hand and Felicity had been working overtime to find out anything she could.

 

In fact, she had been on her way to shower and change, taking a short break between working on Smoak Tech and desperately searching for anything on The Tempest when Moira had cornered her, asking her to get Oliver to attend the Gala that he had essentially proposed himself. Felicity could stand up to Amanda Waller, Noah Cutler, hell, even The Bronze Tiger that once, but Moira Queen still made her nervous, so all that had come out of her mouth after being put on the spot like that had been a very squeaky ‘Of course!’

 

So, now the both of them were stuck attending the CNRI fundraiser. Oliver smiled politely when a senior couple joined them where they were standing at the corner of the room. This had been the norm of tonight. Most people wanted to meet the woman the ‘reformed’ Oliver Queen was dating, and from Moira Queen’s approving gaze catching the couple every now and then, Felicity was killing it when it came to charming the pants off of the one percenters of Starling City.

 

Oliver’s not exactly surprised. He’s never met anyone who met Felicity and didn't instantly fall in love with her. Even Amanda Waller couldn't stop her smiles in time sometimes when assaulted with Felicity’s errant babbles. But, Oliver’s proud. It isn't the first time he’s attending a gala with Felicity looking beautiful in his arms, but it’s the first time it isn't an act. Well, at least not completely. And he smiles genuinely when people tell them that they’re happy for them, or when he hears them saying to each other quietly how good they look together, and how in love they obviously are.

 

It’s a different kind of scrutiny than what Oliver is used to being in. It’s not suffocating, or stressful, because if there is one thing in his life that Oliver is proud of, it’s his and Felicity’s relationship.

 

They circle around the room, meeting people, making small talk, and when the dance floor opens up for the guests, Oliver’s one of the first ones to ask Felicity for a dance. The old him had hated dancing. It had felt redundant to him then, something so slow and boring. He enjoys dancing with Felicity though. Enjoys holding her close and gripping her tight and placing superficial kisses on her temple, and cheeks, and lips, whenever he can get away with them. They make Felicity giggle, which in turn make Oliver smile wider, makes their touches linger longer, make their dancing slower till their just swaying in place. It’s a heady feeling, having Felicity so close to him, one that he doesn't get to indulge in as often as he would like to, and rarely ever in public. But, there are no threats tonight. No targets, and Oliver can lower his guard for long enough to lose himself in Felicity for a couple of dances.

 

_So he lets himself go. And finds himself in her arms._

 

Laurel watched the two of them from the corner of her eyes even as she danced with Carter Bowen. Ever since they had arrived to the venue, Ollie and his girlfriend hadn't been more than 3 feet apart, and Laurel has had no chance to talk to Ollie alone. Now, they danced slowly, almost intimately with their eyes closed and noses brushing, and Laurel would bet anything that neither of them are actually actively aware of their surroundings. If they were, they would've noticed the increase in flashes as photographers took picture after picture of them swaying romantically on the dance floor.

  


Laurel scowled, her hands subconsciously tightening on Carter’s shoulder till her long nails dig painfully in his skin through the tux, making him wince,

 

“You alright?” He asked, looking slightly pained, and Laurel gave him a quick smile,

 

“Of course.” She kept him engaged in conversation. It was easy. As long as the topic was Carter Bowen, Carter was happy to contribute. Listing out all his achievements, his strengths, his passions. Laurel let him talk, kept him distracted as she subtly manoeuvred them into the other couple’s path, pretended to enjoy Carter’s company even as she prepared for the collision that was about to take place, heart racing fast in anticipation but her body relaxed.

 

Just as she had predicted, her bare back came in contact with Ollie’s tuxedo-covered one. He jerked, turning around and keeping the blonde behind him with a hand on her hip, though he relaxed imperceptibly when he saw it was just Laurel,

 

“Oh, I'm sorry.” Laurel said, let out an apologetic giggle, as if she was embarrassed, “We totally missed you there.”

 

“Yeah, man. Sorry about that. I was kinda distracted.” Carter chuckled awkwardly. Feeling a blush creep up his cheeks. His mother had always taught him to guide a girl properly on the dance floor, after all.

 

“Don’t worry about it.” Felicity replied, peeking out from Oliver’s back. Oliver slid his arm around her waist so that she could move closer till they were standing side by side, “We weren't exactly paying attention either.”

 

Laurel’s mood soured some, but she didn't let it show on the outside. Instead, she kept her cool. Wrapped her own arm around Carter and leaned her head on his shoulder. Two can play at this game, she thought. This was familiar to her, after all. Even before they had gotten together, Oliver had liked parading women in front of her. Had liked making her jealous to the point where she was chasing after him without even realising. She’s not the same person any more, though. When they start dating again, it was going to be a partnership of equal standing. And if that meant she would have to make him jealous too, then she could pretend to enjoy another man’s company for a few hours.

 

Only, Ollie didn't really look that jealous. He didn't look very interested in the situation at all. Instead, he just nodded at them, as if vaguely telling them to carry on, and guided Felicity over to the bar where Thea and Moira are standing, talking to each other.

 

He was on his way to greet the rest of his family when they were stopped by Paul Copani. Oliver tried not to outwardly scowl when his slimy face entered his line of sight, but it was a difficult thing. Oliver hated Paul Copani. He blatantly worked for the Bertinelli crew, one of the biggest Mafia families in Starling City, and had been begging Oliver to hand the contract to the Bertinelli’s to build the Queen Consolidated New Applied Sciences division. Oliver had gotten tired of refusing him, but the man was persistent,

 

“Ah, Mr. Queen!” Copani came forward with his arms wide open, “And you must be Ms. Smoak. I must say, you've gotten quite popular ever since Mr. Queen’s trial. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

 

Felicity smiled coldly even as she shook his hand, “It’s nice to meet you too.”

 

Oliver’s jaw ticked, “Mr. Copani. I don’t think I could be any more clear than I’ve already been. Your proposal is rejected. Unless this is about something else-”

 

Paul Copani’s smile fell off his face faster than one could say ‘temper tantrum’, “Mr. Queen, if we could just sit and discuss this-”

 

Oliver stopped listening, but it wasn't because he had no interest in what Copani had to say, though there was that too, but the reason why he stopped paying attention was much more concerning than that. His eyes roamed widely, trying to understand where that sound of the gun’s safety clicking off had come from. His eyes fell on one of the band members, a rather small man wearing baggy clothes. His face hidden with a cap and bangs. Before Oliver could call out a warning, the gun aimed right at them, and Oliver had just enough time to tackle Felicity down and under him with a ‘Watch Out!’ screamed at the rest of the guests before shots started being fired.

 

Felicity whimpered under him, and beside them, he heard Paul Copani fall to the ground, three bullets embedded in his chest. Oliver didn't need to check his pulse to see if he was dead. As soon as he fell, the shooting stopped, and Oliver was just itching to run after that shooter, but he couldn't.

 

He couldn't because when he looked down at his wife, and she had a blood colouring her white dress red-

 

“Felicity!” He yelled urgently, getting the attention of majority of the guests who were panicking in their own right. He had no interest in them, he climbed off of where he was shielding Felicity with his own body, and pulled her closer gently till her head was resting on his lap, Felicity winced, a hand going over to her side to press against the wound,

 

“Oh God..” Oliver breathed out, panicking as Felicity's face screwed up in pain, “Oh god oh god oh god”

 

Felicity sighed, “Honey, calm down, it’s nothing.”

 

“Nothing?!” Oliver’s reply was almost a screech, “Felicity, you’re bleeding!”

 

“I know that.” She replied calmly. One of them had to act calm in this situation, and she was pretty sure that that person was not going to be her husband. “It’s just a graze, Oliver. It was a through and through.”

 

But, Oliver was not listening, instead he turned around to look at all the people hovering over them and gawking. Most of the guests had left in panic, but the ones that were left looked like they'd been frozen,

 

“What the fuck are you all looking at? Call a fucking ambulance!”

 

The man at the front of the crowd jerked and fumbled for his cell phone. Oliver stripped off his tux jacket, pressed it against Felicity’s wound, his throat burning with panic and hot unshed tears. Felicity's face softened a little when she saw the expression on her husband’s face,

 

“Hey,” She started slowly, waited till their eyes met before continuing, “I’m okay. I’m going to just fine, my love.”

 

Oliver nodded, lips pursed so that he didn't blubber like a sobbing toddler and pressed a long hard kiss on her head. She smiled against his throat, tried not to wince out loud when Oliver shifted them a little,

 

“I'm going to kill him.” He breathed the words against her hair, voice rough and hard. Felicity said nothing. Just squeezed his hand and hoped that it didn't come to that.

 

>\---------|>

 

Tommy sprinted down the hospital hallway, his breathing heavy and lungs burning. The gala shooting had been all over the news, and Tommy had already been on his way, but then Thea had called and the news had gotten much worse.

Felicity Smoak was shot.

 

He stopped dead when he saw Thea standing out in the hallway, munching on a snickers bar and still in her glittery dress. She looked understandably jumpy, but still somewhat relaxed, and Tommy calmed down a little,

 

“Hey.” He called out, and Thea looked up, coming over to hug him tightly, and Tommy responded with the same intensity. _God, he could've lost her._ He thought, _he_ _could've lost all of them._ “Is she alright? Where’s Ollie?”

 

Thea sniffed, “She’s alright. They said she was hit by a stray bullet. But, it was a through and through? Ollie is inside with her.” Thea looked at him, smirking, “Under any other circumstance, it would've been funny to watch. Oliver acting like a complete mother hen and Felicity getting borderline irritated with his antics.”

 

Tommy looked over at the closed door, “Can I see her?”

 

“Sure. She was semi-coherent when I went in. They gave her the good drugs when they were stitching her up. But, apparently the wound wasn't very deep. She’ll be discharged in a few hours.”

 

Tommy nodded and walked over. He hesitated before knocking, but slowly opened the door when there wasn't an answer. He poked his head in to find both Oliver and Felicity fast asleep, Felicity on the bed, and Oliver in the chair next to her, his head resting on her thigh. The door squeaked just a little as Tommy opened it further, and in an instant, Oliver shot up, his gaze focused and slightly deadly, his body shielding Felicity from view. Tommy raised his hands in a calming gesture (or was he surrendering? At this point, even Tommy wasn't sure). Oliver slumped back in the chair when he saw who it was, and Tommy took it as an invitation to enter, closing the door behind him,

 

“How is she?” He asked softly, and Oliver sighed,

 

“She’s okay. She’s strong.” Oliver looked over at Felicity, feeling his lips stretch into a small smile, “She’s the strongest person I know.”

 

Tommy thought about what he wanted to say or a moment, and shrugged, figuring there wasn't a better time, “And I suppose you’d know her quite well. Seeing as she’s your wife.”

 

Oliver’s head whipped over to look at him so fast, Tommy was genuinely concerned for his neck. His eyes were wide, but they narrowed in confusion when he realised that Tommy was acting incredibly calm.

 

They stared at each other for long moments, Oliver studying Tommy intensely in silence before he came to a conclusion,

 

He nodded, posture still and face hard, “You know?” He asked unnecessarily.

 

“I do.” Tommy sighed. In a way the confirmation felt like the final nail in the coffin. Tommy walked closer and dragged another chair next to Oliver’s. “You two are very bad at acting like a newly minted couple. I had my suspicions from the start.”

 

“And what confirmed it?”

 

“I snooped around.” Tommy replied casually. At Oliver’s questioning look, Tommy sighed and fished out the polaroid photo from his jacket pocket and showed it to the other man. Oliver looked up at Tommy with surprise, taking the picture from him and sticking it in his own pocket,

 

“That is an invasion of privacy, Tommy.”

 

“Please, I have seen you buck naked, Ollie.” Tommy rolled his eyes, “And besides, if what I did was so bad, what would you call continually lying and deceiving your family?”

 

Oliver glared at him, “I'm trying to protect all of you.” Then after a pause, you continued, “And we agreed we’ll never talk about that incident again. She had tricked me.”

 

“Ollie, she stole all of your clothes and left you naked and alone in a dump that called itself a motel. She did way more than just trick you.” Tommy grinned, but Oliver wasn't finding any of this particularly funny,

 

“Tommy, I'm serious. Nobody can find out that I-”

 

“What? That you’re married? Or that you’re that vigilante running around and hunting bad guys every night?”

 

Oliver gaped at him, mouth opening and closing without a word coming out,

 

Tommy sighed, exasperated, “Oh come on. It wasn't that big of a leap to make when I realised that Felicity was your wife. After all, she was your alibi in court, and your reason for not coming home every night. The first sighting of the vigilante had been during our kidnapping. And Felicity is also a government agent? Clearly, you have been quite busy these past 5 years, and Felicity has been with you during it.” Tommy sighed again, “Look, there are still a lot of things that don’t add up, I still have a lot of questions, and we’re going to have a long discussion about this, but the point is, I know now. So, don’t lie to me any more, man.”

 

Oliver gaped some more, closing his mouth and swallowing when he realised Tommy was waiting for an answer, “You know that I'm the vigilante, and you’re still here?” he asked. Tommy shrugged.

 

“You’re my best friend.” He answered, “You fighting bad guys at night and basically acting like superman with the dual-identity thing isn't going to change that.”

 

“But… what I'm doing is illegal.”

 

“So? It seems to be working. Much more efficiently than the SCPD too.” Tommy gave him a cheeky smile, and Oliver couldn't help it, he jumped out of his seat, pulling Tommy up and hugging his brother close.

 

_God, it felt like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulder._

 

A throat clearing made Oliver pull away, and he walked back to his wife when he realised that she had woken up, eyes squinty an lips chapped, but still so fucking beautiful,

 

Her voice was croaky when she spoke, but there was still definite humor in her tone, “So, I'm guessing Tommy is part of the Team Arrow now.”

 

>\-----------|>

 

Diggle looked up from where he was cleaning his glock to see Oliver and Felicity walk down into the foundry. Digg looked at them questioningly, they had called an emergency meeting of sorts last night, but hadn't wanted to say too much on the phone. It had been decided that they would meet early morning the next day, and Digg was pretty sure this was about the shooter last night. After all, Digg didn't have to be a genius to know that Oliver was going to be out for blood for this case. It had gotten extremely personal, after all. And Digg could relate. He and Felicity had grown quite close in the last couple of months.

 

So, imagine Digg’s surprise when after Oliver and Felicity, there was the sound of another set of footsteps. John stiffened, grabbing the dagger sitting beside him seeing as the glock was mid-clean and thus dismantled. But, the only person who followed them was Tommy Merlyn.

 

Digg raised a brow in a silent question, but Oliver just sighed tiredly at him. Tommy looked around the foundry, taking everything in with bright eyes. His eyes widened at the impressive computer system, and he gasped out loud when he saw the vigilante’s persona hanging on the mannequin surrounded with a well-lit glass case,

 

“Dude!” Tommy breathed, “This is sick!”

 

Oliver gave him a withering glare, Tommy’s gushing making him feel uncomfortable. He turned to Digg and gave him the run-down of last night's events. While Diggle had been busy doing re-con for the next name on the list, Felicity had been accidentally shot, and his best friend had found out about not only his green secret, but also his marriage secret.

 

“Are you okay to work? You took a bullet just yesterday, Felictiy.” Diggle asked, an uncharacteristic amount of concern bleeding into his tone for someone who was always so stoic.

 

Oliver rolled his eyes, “Don’t bother. I've been trying to convince since this morning that she needs to take a day off, at least.”

 

“Oh, I'm fine. It was hardly a graze.” Felicity said, breezily.

 

“You needed stitches, honey.” Oliver gritted out, Irritated by how careless she was being about her own health. Felicity rolled her eyes,

 

“I've had worse, Oliver.”  That statement did nothing to assuage Oliver’s concern, if anything, it brought out all the memories of Felicity bleeding or bruised, with bandages covering her marred skin and her limp body on countless hospital beds. Oliver usually managed to shift all those memories in the back of his mind . He would go insane otherwise and insist that they just disappear and live the rest of their lives peacefully at the countryside or something equally absurd.

 

“Doesn't mean that you don’t need time to recover from this too, Felicity.”

 

“Whoa! Am I about to witness Mr. and Mrs. Queen in a marital tiff?” Tommy spoke, trying to dissolve the tension that was reaching suffocating levels. Diggle through him a grateful look when Oliver and Felicity finally realised they had an audience and deflated.

 

Felicity sighed, and walked closer, placing both her hands over Oliver’s defensively crossed arms,

 

“Oliver, this isn't like before. I'm going to be in the foundry the whole time, and there won’t be any strenuous movements that could potentially pop open my stitches… I promise, I'm good.”

 

They stared each other down silently. Oliver knew that he had lost the moment she had crossed the distance between them. How could he look into her eyes ( _blue and soft and beautiful_ ) and watch her plead ( _lips red, mouth soft, voice light_ ) and be expected to put up a coherent argument?

 

“Fine.” He sighed. And when Felicity gave him a wide excited smile, Oliver could fool himself into thinking that he was okay with that decision if this was the reaction he got.

 

Then, in the background, a computerized ‘whipping’ sound echoed through the foundry, and Oliver turned to glare at Tommy, who stood there innocently, his phone in his hand and an impish expression on his face.

 

Never mind that, Oliver was going to put an arrow in someone tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (tbh, I still don't know what i'll do about helena. but, i'll figure it out eventually...maybe *shrugs*)
> 
> Sometimes I'm like, Laurel and Carter Bowen deserve eachother... but other times I'm like, nah. poor bloke can do better. No one deserves a laurel lance.  
> Apparently, I'm getting Felicity shot a lot this week. At least she didn't die this time (phew). On the contrary, she handled it like a champ. Oliver was LOOOSSSIINNG it tho. I love panicked!Oliver wanting wifey to be safe *sigh*
> 
> TOMMY IS IN THE TEAM ARROW NOWWW! I'm actually really excited about it. It gives me the opportunity to diverge and further his sl. Y'all love it. Hopefully.
> 
> If you wanna talk or wanna know when I'll update, you can find me on twitter @in_enochian (i sometimes ask for your guys' input and let you in on my writing process) or on tumblr @inenochian (you can also read me ranting. I don't know if you'll enjoy it, but, i'll continue ranting)
> 
> byee  
> -ms
> 
> ANyway, how'd you like this chapter? Comment below! Feed me with Feedbacks and kudos ;)


	16. Lately, I've Been Thinking (I Want You To Be Happier)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (If you don't know this, wtf) but the chapter title is from the song Happier by Marshmellow ft.Bastille
> 
> Thank you for all the feedbacks and kudos last update! In case you missed it on my twitter, we surpassed 1k kudos! That is huge and I love you guys so much!!! <3 <3 <3  
> I'm so happy Tommy is in! And I'm especially proud of this chapter. I'll tell you about it in the end notes. Don't wanna spoil ;)
> 
> @EndlessPages, @Newsies73 and @lenalutessa honestly, me too. If anybody can make a Olicity gossip magazine debut edit, or really, any other fanart, I'd be super honored. 
> 
> @LIngall, same. I don't think this Oliver is as paranoid as s1 Oliver. ANd maybe that doesn't go so well for him sometimes, but it's fine cause he's happier and healthuer and has people (his wifey and friends) he can rely on.
> 
> As always, (leave kudos and feedback! They make me work faster honestly.)
> 
> HAPPY READING!!

“So!” Diggle clapped his hands once, bringing back everyone’s attention to what was actually important, “What do we know about this shooter?”

Oliver crossed his arms, eyes showing the same intensity that he usually reserved for his vigilante persona, “We know that he was targeting Paul Caponi. The man is notorious for his connections to the mob. Especially the Bertinelli's.”

 

“So what? We think this was a mob hit?” Felicity asked, going over to boot up her system. Digg shrugged,

 

“It would make sense. This isn’t the first time this week that someone with connections to the Bertinelli’s was attacked.” He said, and Oliver frowned,

 

“You think someone wants the Bertinelli’s to lose power?”

 

Digg shrugged again, he didn’t pretend to understand how criminals’ brains worked, afterall, but it would make sense, “It’s a rather ambitious goal, Bertinelli family is extremely rich and well connected, but he seems to be doing a rather good job of it till now. According to police reports, he’s taken out four of Bertinelli’s men in just last week. Caponi makes five.”

 

Felicity groaned, “Well that’s not a lot to go on. Frank Bertinelli maybe rich but he’s also one of the most hated people in the city. The perp could be anyone from an independent contractor, to someone from the rival gang.”

 

Oliver thought for a second before speaking up, “I suppose I could always talk to Frank Bertinelli himself.” He shrugged, “He wants to build QC’s applied science division. We don’t want to be associated with the mafia in any way, but I could always go to just talk… you know, to “negotiate”.”

 

Diggle nodded, “You go do that. I’ll make a list of the shooter’s potential targets.” Felicity got up from her seat,

 

“And I have Smoak Tech work to take care of.” She turned to Oliver with an excited bounce to her feet, “Zari contacted me.”

 

Oliver raised a brow and smiled, pleasantly surprised, “Yeah? How is she?”

 

Zari Tomaz was someone they had met during one of ARGUS and FBI meetings. The two agencies didn’t always get along, but sometimes meetings were necessary to build a strong joint force against the criminal population of the country. Zari had been the head of the technological department in FBI and thus Felicity’s counterpart in that agency. They had gotten along famously well to the chagrin of both Amanda Waller and FBI the director Morgan Shaw. Felicity didn’t know what they expected would happen. Both her and Zari had so much in common. They were both two female leaders in a male dominant field and came from minor religious backgrounds. Felicity liked to joke with Oliver that if she hadn’t met and fallen in love with him when she did, she probably would’ve ended up marrying Zari instead, a sentiment the other woman completely agreed with.

 

“She’s good.” Felicity nodded, “Met a girl and everything.  I remembered telling her about leaving the agency and I finally heard back from her yesterday.” Felicity pouted for a moment, “Apparently she was in Kazakhstan? I could get the details. But, she says she’s done with the FBI and Smoak Tech sounds much more interesting, so guess who’s getting a partner??”

 

Oliver laughed as Felicity bounced in place, she was so excited. He walked over to frame her face with his palms and bring her closer for a kiss. Oliver could never resist kissing Felicity, but especially not when she was like this, cheeks flushed and eyes bright and smile wide. He kept it chaste though, aware that they weren’t alone,

 

“That’s great news, honey.” Oliver said, pulling back, “You two always made a good team.”

 

“Yeah, we did!”

 

“So… who’s Zari?” Tommy asked, finally speaking up. No doubt all this was going to take some time to get used to.

 

“A friend of ours from the agency.” Oliver said vaguely. He had given both Digg and Tommy all the details he possibly could, but they were still vague at best. Oliver just couldn’t bring himself to detail every horror that took place in those years. Diggle seemed to understand, but from the frown at Tommy’s face, it was going to be a while before he got used to not knowing everything about Oliver’s life. But, he didn’t argue. Just took a deep breath and changed the subject,

 

“Well, while the three of you work on saving this city, I’m gonna go and meet up with Max Fuller.”

 

Oliver frowned, “What do you need to talk to Max about?”

 

Tommy grinned enigmatically, “It’s a secret.” He backtracked when Oliver raised a brow, “Or well maybe not a secret. But, more of a surprise. I just don’t want to say anything before I have something solid.”

“Okay.” Oliver conceded. And looked down at himself. He was in his casual jeans and henley. He decided to change into one of his business suits (no, he did not keep them in a glass case too no matter what Felicity and Digg teased.) he kept in the foundry before going up to meet with Frank Bertinelli.

 

>\------------|>

 

The meeting with Frank Bertinelli was going amazingly. As in, Oliver was making ridiculous demands that he knew Frank would never agree with and was slowly starting to annoy the living daylights out of the man,

 

“And you know, If I do hand this contract to you, you have to give us most of the credit, don’t you? Not to mention, we need to fix a deadline. How about 2 months? Seems like more than enough time to build a division, don’t you think, Frank?”

 

Frank’s left eye twitched as Oliver let the patronizing tone drip into his words liberally. There was no way the Bertinelli's would want to give any credit to any party and building an entire division from scratch was literally impossible.

 

“You know, Mr. Queen…” Frank started and Oliver had to make an active effort to not smirk outwardly. It was Frank who had insisted that they call each other by their first names after all. “I’d heard great things about you as a businessman. Seems like those reports have been greatly exaggerated.”

 

On the contrary, if Oliver did say so himself, he thought he was a great businessman. He just wasn't going to let this scum’s dirty money anywhere near what was essentially his company ever since Walter had decided to go to Australia.

 

Frank stood up, apparently he was done trying to convince Oliver. But, Oliver’s mission here was done. He had been able to plant one of Felicity’s paper thin bugs right under the bar table. If he had any discussions about the shooter, they would know about it. Just when Oliver was at the door, a woman walked down the stairs and towards them. She was pretty, with hair so dark Oliver was momentarily reminded of the pictures of Felicity he had seen from her goth days and blue eyes. She seemed to be dressed for a night of partying. But, Frank looked at her and his eyes brightened as an idea occurred to him,

 

“Oliver, I must introduce to my daughter, this is Helena.” He motioned the woman to come closer, and Helena obeyed, though from the scowl on her face, she would rather be anywhere but there. Frank gave Oliver a look heavy with meaning, “Maybe she can convince to take this deal a little more seriously… maybe over dinner?”

 

It took a lot of effort for Oliver to keep the disgusted scowl of his face. Instead, he regarded Frank with a cool stare. He couldn’t understand the man no matter how much he tried. What kind of a father would pimp out his own daughter so blatantly for a stupid business deal?

 

“I’d rather not, actually.” Oliver replied, eyes hard and voice cold, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a date with my girlfriend, and I’d like to not make her wait.”

 

Oliver turned around abruptly, so he missed the surprised look Helena regarded him with. Instead, he walked out of the house and activated the bug he had planted as he walked to his car and began driving home,

 

“Daddy, I’m heading out to the club.” Helena’s voice echoed from the bluetooth Oliver had on,

 

“Well, okay. But, take one of the guys with you.” His father replied and Oliver rolled his eyes. Now he decided to act like a protective father. Helena probably had the same thoughts crossing through her mind because when she spoke next, her voice was tight,

 

“I can take care of myself.” She replied.

 

“Heh.” Frank gave a condescending little laugh, “Honey, I wasn’t asking.”

 

Suddenly, there was a third voice that joined the conversation,

 

“Sir, Ms. White called. That meeting you requested? They can do it.”

 

“Okay.” Frank told the other man, “Look sweet pea, I need to go. I’ll see you later. Come on, Nick.”

 

Oliver switched off his head set. He had a name.

 

Ms. White. He wasn’t even surprised. Whenever something was going wrong in this city, the triad was often at the very middle of it.

 

>\-------------|>

 

Tommy was pissed. He was supposed to be meeting with Max Fuller at his club, Poison, but the guy never showed. What kind of excuse can you even use to not show up at your own fucking club?? Instead, Tommy was left to nurse his own abandoned and loveless ass with alcohol.

 

Tommy was ridiculously happy for his best friend. Oliver deserved all the love he could get after spending two whole years on an abandoned island, but that didn’t mean that his best friend’s happiness didn’t make him feel even more miserable about himself.

 

After all, how is it that even the vigilante of Star City can get himself a girlfriend (wife. He had a fucking wife, what the hell?) and Tommy was still spending his nights alone in the company of loud bad music and alcohol?

 

And it’s not like he wasn’t trying to improve his life. This entire meeting with Max Fuller was supposed to be a new beginning for him. All he had wanted were a few pointers to start his own clubbing business. After all, he was good at partying. Throwing them for a living couldn’t be that hard could it? Figures that the man wouldn’t show. After all, when has anything in Tommy’s life gone the way he has wanted it to?

 

He sighed, looked up from his drink to take in the crowd for the 10th time in five minutes. Nobody even remotely interesting had caught his eye the last nine times, he wondered why this time would be so different. He was almost convinced that Laurel had ruined him for anybody else (she had been so complex and beautiful and so out of his league how could he have not fallen in love with her?) when a woman walked over to the bar.

 

Tommy stopped breathing the moment he laid eyes on her. Her dark hair was like a curtain, and the pale skin peeking through her equally dark dress seemed to almost glow. She looked over at him for a moment as if she could sense his staring, and Tommy gulped when he was onsaulted by those baby blues. Feeling his spirits lift, he knocked back the drink in his hand and walked over to where the woman was standing, giving him a cool stare which wasn’t exactly unwelcoming.

 

“Can I buy you a drink?” He said smoothly, leaning on the bar next to her. The woman just raised a brow,

 

“I can buy my own drink, thanks.” Tommy grimaced. He didn’t think he could take another rejection today,

 

“True. But, doesn’t mean you have to.” The woman, (she reminded him of Snow White. He was gonna call her Snow White.) regarded him for a second before she nodded,

 

“Sure. Surprise me.” Tommy gave her a smirk and a wink and motioned for the bartender, giving him his card and ordering two tequila sunrises.

 

They talked about nothing for a few minutes, but Tommy could tell she was losing interest, and fast. Tommy scrambled to think up jokes to make her laugh, or charming little one liners to make her blush, but the most he could get from her was a small tight lipped smile, or a head tilt.

 

His frustration did not ease when the bartender came back with his card, a frown on his face,

 

“Sir, I’m sorry, but you’re credit card has been declined.” Tommy frowned,

 

“Are you sure? Maybe swipe it a few times? Sometimes those things can be glitchy.”

 

“I did. And I’m afraid the company wants us to confiscate it. I’m sorry.”

 

Tommy felt his cheeks redden with embarrassment. Goddammit. Damn his father to hell.

 

Apparently, he said the last part out loud, because next to him, Snow White jerked, as if she was finally paying attention. She turned to the bartender, giving him her own card,

 

“That’s okay. Place the bill on this one instead. And keep the drinks coming.” Before Tommy could protest (Protest with what? What other option did he have? Tommy didn’t carry cash), the bartender took the card to the back. Instead, he turned to Snow White with an apologetic expression,

 

“I’m really sorry about this.” He gritted out, feeling more and more embarrassed with each passing moment. But, Snow White actually gave him her first open smile in reply,

 

“That’s okay. Asshole fathers. I can relate with that.”

 

Tommy blinked. Asshole fathers. It was not the usual ice-breaker that he went for. But, he could work with it.

 

“I’m Tommy, by the way.” He put his hand out, and Snow White took it with a grin,

 

“Helena. Helena Bertinelli.”

 

>\-----------|>

 

“Oh my god, this food is amazing!” Felicity moaned, taking another bite of her pasta. Oliver smiled widely from across her, nodding his head in agreement even as he swallowed his bite of Carbonara. Russo’s had been recommended to him by one of the investors when they’d been making small talk at the office, and after Felicity checked out some of the reviews, they had decided to try out a new place for their date night.

 

Back in Hong Kong, they had preferred ‘ _Mamma In Cucina_ ’. It seems in Starling, their favourite was going to be _Russo’s_. The silently enjoyed their meals for a few moments before Felicity put her fork down,

 

“So… I know we never really got to discuss this, but Tommy knows. How do we feel about that?” She asked him softly. Oliver sighed heavily, and put his own silverware down,

 

“We… we feel a lot of things about that.” Oliver started, “Mostly worried. Tommy seems to be taking it well so far, but god knows when that might change.”

 

Felicity placed a hand over his, giving him a sweet smile, “Oliver, you’re doing good in this city. And sure, it’s not exactly in a conventional way, but we’re not conventional people. And our way seems to be working.”

 

Oliver scoffed, “Clearly not fast enough, considering you were shot today.”

 

“Hey!” Felicity reprimanded him, “I’m fine. And this wasn’t your fault. And like I said before, I’ve had worse. I’m a bit girl, Oliver.”

 

“I still wish you would never get hurt.” Oliver told her, turning his hand in hers so that he could intertwine their fingers, “And I still worry. I always will.”

 

“I know. Because I do too.” Felicity replied, “But this is bigger than the both of us now. We have Digg, and to some extent, we even have Tommy. We’ve taken on the job to keep an entire city safe-”

 

“Only temporarily.” Oliver interjected. Felicity nodded,

 

“Only temporarily.” She agreed readily, “And we’re making a difference.” She leaned forward in her seat, eyes bright with a sense of purpose and accomplishment, “Oliver, that’s all we’ve ever wanted to do. To make a difference.”

 

“That’s true.” Oliver couldn’t argue with that. It’s what had brought Felicity and him together in the first place. This responsibility they both felt to leave the world a better place than how they’d found it. And maybe it was because of their past sins, maybe they both just had a hero-complex, but deep down they knew they wouldn’t be able to live without knowing that whatever they were doing was making the world a better, a safer place to live.

 

“Besides, Tommy is your best friend. You’ve been in each other’s lives since you were toddlers. Bonds like those don’t break very easily, Oliver.”

 

Oliver didn’t say anything, but he agreed silently. He and Tommy, they’ve been through so much. And growing up in the environment of the rich and aloof, often times they couldn’t rely on anyone but each other. They would be fine. No matter what happened.

 

They spend the rest of the meal talking about lighter subjects, their days and plans, their work and their friends back in Hong Kong. They talked for hours, almost as if they were finally reconnecting with each other after so many hectic days, and when the restaurant closed and they had to leave, their little bubble of peace and soft smiles and chaste kisses seemed too precious to let go of, so they decided to take a walk around the block.

 

They had been on their third lap when Oliver got a call. He sighed, threw his wife an apologetic look but she just smiled lazily in reply, tipsy with good wine and even better company. Oliver frowned when he saw it was Diggle, and felt his body tense when he realised the man probably had a name for him.

 

“It’s Digg.” He told Felicity, and she too straightened up from where she was heavily leaning on Oliver’s side when she heard the implication in his voice.

 

“Digg? What happened?” Oliver asked gruffly, picking up.

 

“Yeah. It’s what about to happen. You know Nick Salvati? Bertinelli’s right hand man?”

 

Oliver vaguely remembered the guy’s voice. He had been the one who had informed Frank of the meeting with the triad.

 

“What about him?”

 

“He’s being paying visits to everyone who own the Bertinelli's protection money.”

 

Oliver rolled his eyes, “I’m trying to figure out who shot my wife, Digg. I couldn’t care less about organized crime.”

 

“Salvati’s men have put four people in the hospital already, and if you don’t do anything soon, the poor bastard who owns Russo’s probably going to be next.”

 

“Wait, what? Russo’s?” Felicity gave him a confused frown at the name, looking up from where she had been going through her emails on her phone. Oliver simply shrugged back at her.

 

“Yeah. The one at the corner of Adam’s-”

 

“I know. I’m with Felicity here right now.”

 

“What?”

 

“We were on a date.” Oliver said simply. He could almost feel Diggle roll his eyes at him. Just then, Oliver heard a car pull up roughly at the end of the block. In an instant, he pulled Felciity back till they were both hidden in an alley. His wife squeaked in surprise, but stayed silent otherwise, trying to stealthily see what was going on,

 

“Salvati’s here.” Oliver said both into the phone and to his wife. “I’ll call you back, Digg.” He hung up without a reply, and turned to Felicity with a grimace, wondering how he was going to go back to the foundry, grab his suit, and come back, all before anyone got hurt. Felicity raised a brow at him though, a smirk threatening to tic her lips up,

 

“What? You thought I didn’t build a secret compartment in the trunk of your car, of my car, and your ducati for your gear?” She gloated, “I’m not an amatuer, Oliver. I’m the wife of the freaking Arrow.”

 

Oliver grinned, eyes wide with surprise. He pulled her closer, framing her face with his hands and kissing her once, fast and hard before pulling back with a whispered, “You are a freaking genius is what you are.”

 

Felicity rolled her eyes at his cheesiness even as she smiled wide. “Now, come on. Go fight bad guys. I’ll be in the car.”

 

>\----------|>

 

Tommy felt like he was floating. Helena was great, and yes, maybe she had had to leave rather abruptly, but she had given him her number, and it had made him promise like he would call her.

 

Tommy scoffed out loud. Why wouldn’t he call her? She was pretty, and nice and they had a lot in common. They were both kids of rich parents trying to make it into the real world. Not to mention, both their dads were assholes. It was different than being with Laurel. Tommy could complain about his rich-kid problems with Helena without feeling like he was acting like a spoiled brat. Laurel always told him to be grateful for all that he had, and while Tommy agreed that he was certainly privileged, doesn’t mean it was always easy to be him. Helena seemed to get that. She not only agreed with his sentiments, but included some of her own.

 

There was something else that was different with Helena. They talked. For hours, in that noisy bar, they sat close and just talked. About easy things, about deep stuff. From Tommy’s allergies and Helena’s pet peeves, all the way to the death of Tommy’s mother and Helena’s fiance.

 

“Michael was my crucible.” Helena had told him, playing with that cross necklace, “losing him changed me. Do you know how that feels? Losing someone you love so much?”

 

Tommy looked away, images of Laurel flashing past his eyes, he gulped, and plastered a self-deprecating smile on his face, “Can’t say I’ve been through the exact same thing, but the girl I loved with all my heart did dump me.” He played with the empty shot glass in front of him, sure that he was going to get laughed at. But, Helena didn’t laugh, she didn’t pull away or walk out on him. When he managed to catch her eyes, all he could find was sympathy,

 

“I’m sorry.” She told him, “Maybe she was your crucible. And you’ve come out the other side.”

 

Tommy thought about it for a second. She made it sound nice. Like it was more important than just another break up. Like Laurel was important than just another girl. It made the pain Tommy felt in his chest feel more justified.

 

“Maybe.” He agreed.

 

She had had to leave pretty quickly after that, but Tommy was already planning on calling her tomorrow. Tonight, he was just going to bask in the warmth of her smiles and go over to the foundry to tell Oliver and Felicity and Digg all about her.

 

There was a tense silence over the entire base as Tommy climbed downstairs. Digg was standing off to the side with his arms crossed, looking over at Oliver with a mixture of concern and confusion. Oliver himself was sitting on the med table, sans shirt and a bruise on his side. Felicity was nursing his injury with an ice pack and anti-bacterial wipes. Tommy winced when he so the bruising. Poor guy’s skin was black and blue.

 

“Wow. That looks really bad.” He observed as he came down the stairs,

 

“Tell me about it.” Oliver grunted, wincing when he tried to move. Felicity stopped him with tightening her grip on his bicep and a glare. The poor guy subdued like a puppy.

 

“They’re a few bruised ribs. With enough ice and rest, you should be fine in a few days.” She stated, pulling back and peeling off the latex gloves. Oliver breathed slowly and climbed off the table,

 

“What I still don’t understand if how the shooter got the better of you. I thought you said he wasn’t trained?” Digg asked,

 

“Wait- you went against the shooter? Did we get him?” Tommy asked, eager. Ever since seeing Felicity on that hospital bed, Tommy had wanted nothing but to see that bastard behind bars. Felicity was so sweet and warm. Tommy was sure there was a special place in hell for those who hurt people like her.

 

“No.” Oliver grimaced. It was embarrassing. Not the fact that he lost to a woman, Oliver had met too many strong women in his life to blush over that, but because she was clearly untrained. “I was caught off-guard. She got away.”

 

“Wait, what? Our shooter is a woman?” Diggle asked confused.

 

“Our shooter,” Felicity said, moving towards her computer system and bringing up all the information she had been able to Digg up on their perp in the short amount of time, “Is Helena Bertinelli. The only daughter of Frank Bertinelli. She is also-”

 

Tommy cut her off, “What? No, she’s not!” He exclaimed adamantly.

 

Oliver blinked at his best friend, “Tommy, I went head-to-head with her. Took off her helmet. I think I know who I saw.”

 

“But- but…” Tommy spluttered, not able to reconcile the person who shot his best friend’s wife with the beautiful woman he spend the last 3 hours with.

 

“What is this about, Tommy?” Felicity asked softly, she could see the struggle that was going on in his head, but for the life of her she couldn't’ figure out why he would be so adamant to prove a strange woman’s innocence.

 

“I was just with her! On a date of sorts.” He turned to look at all three of them one by one, “Look, I know she wouldn’t do this. Not without a valid reason.”

 

“Well, quite frankly, Tommy, I don’t care what her motivations were.” Oliver said brusquely, “She shot at my wife. That’s enough reason to bring her in.”

 

Tommy shook his head rapidly, “You said yourself Felicity wasn’t her target-”

 

“Which is even worse, Tommy.” Digg backed Oliver up, “Not only did she kill a person, but she also injured a civilian in the process.”

 

“Look, if you just let me-”

 

“This isn’t a discussion, Tommy.” Oliver cut him off. Tommy scowled, “You’ve known this woman for less than a day. I’m not risking the people of this city because you had one nice date.”

 

Tommy scoffed, “You don’t even know her reasons.”

 

“Actually-” Felicity cut off their squabbling, bringing up a picture of a rather attractive man in his mid-twenties on the screen. He looked kind, with wide blue eyes magnified further with his glasses and messy dark hair, “Meet Michael Statton. Helena’s fiance. Also, killed by one of Frank Bertinelli’s men because he was working as a mole for the FBI.”

 

“See!” Tommy pointed at the screen, “Her own father had her fiance killed! Of course she wants revenge!”

 

“It still does not make killing people okay, Tommy.” Digg argued, but Oliver was surprisingly quiet.

 

Tommy glared at Diggle, ready with a retort, but all of them turned to look at Oliver in shock when he sighed out a resigned, “Fine.”

 

“What?” Digg threw his arms up, giving up. He didn’t understand why this was even a discussion. They had a murderer on their hands. Arresting the woman shouldn’t be a question.

 

“Look, I’m not endorsing her.” Oliver explained, “But, I can… understand her motivations.”

 

“Oliver-” Felicity started, already knowing where he was going with this,

 

“I just… I put myself in her shoes, and I imagine what it would be like to lose Felicity…” Oliver shook his head, as if physically incapable of finishing the thought, “Digg’s right. Michael’s death does not give Helena a free pass to keep killing. Especially if she’s going to hurt innocent people in the process. So, I’ll talk to her.” Oliver shrugged, looked at Felicity, eyes heavy with meaning, “Show her that there is another way.”

 

“Thank you!” Tommy relaxed. Digg scowled, but didn’t argue anymore. Maybe it was because he knew that there was no changing Oliver’s mind, or maybe he was doing the same thing as Oliver and putting himself in Helena’s shoes. Either way, Oliver was glad. He didn’t think he had enough energy or the will to go toe to toe with Digg right now.

 

He sighed, pulled on the zipped up grey hoodie sitting on the chair, and walked back upstairs. He had been looking forward to hot food, a soft bed, and Felicity. But, he supposed that would have to wait. He was back upstairs at the Smoak Tech construction site when he heard sitteletoes behind him. He sighed and turned around, smiling softly when he saw Felicity looking at him with a soft concerned look on her face,

 

She had followed him (of course she had followed him.)

 

“You’re still hurt.” She reminded him. He shrugged.

 

“It’s just talking.” When she didn’t look convinced, “I’ll go as Oliver Queen. I may not be able to be as direct, but at least she won’t consider me a threat.” He promised. Felicity walked closer,

 

“I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.” She told him, softly but with steel in her voice still.

 

“I know.” He replied. He would rip apart an entire universe just to make sure he gets to have this.

 

“You’re not going to lose me.” She reassured him anyway. And he smiled, taking her hand in his and intertwining their fingers,

 

“I know.” He said again. Felicity breathed in, took another step closer to him,

 

“But, If I were to- If you did-” His smile fell off his face in an instant and he cut her off before she could continue,

 

“I won’t.” He gritted out. He squeezed her fingers, knowing better but still having to make sure that she was right there, with him. But, Felicity was adamant. She pulled her hand away only to place both of hers on his shoulders, pulling herself up till they were at the same level,

 

“But, even if you did,” She stated, “You would still be nothing like her.”

 

Oliver swallowed, gripped her waist tight to keep her right where she was, with him,

 

“I’m not too sure about that.” He whispered (confessed) hoarsely. Felicity shook her head,

 

“You’re a better man-” She started,

 

“Only because I have you.” He cut her off. Bent down till their noses brushed, “I am the man I am, the hero you see me as, because I have you. I don’t ever want to think about the monster I would turn into if I were to ever lose you.”

 

His tone was firm. The same he uses whenever he tells her he loves her, the same one he used when they were saying their vows. Felicity felt the tears burn hot behind her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

 

“Well, good thing you won’t ever lose me.” She whispered (promised), and closed the distance between them with one final step, wrapping him in her arms till he felt whole again.

 

“Hmm.” Oliver agreed, closed his eyes and breathed her in. Vanilla. Vanilla and something that was just uniquely Felicity (it was what happiness would smell like, Oliver thought, happiness and love and light. That was what Felicity smelled like.) “It’s the best thing.”

 

>\------------|>

 

He followed Helena all the way from her house to the graveyard. She crouched down in front of her fiance’s grave and Oliver couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable. This was a private moment. Something he shouldn’t interfere with. But, then he reminded himself that this woman was a criminal, that she’d killed people, that she shot his wife, and it became slightly easier to not give a fuck.

 

Oliver walked closer, and knew the instant Helena noticed him. She didn't turn around though, and Oliver was left to awkwardly start up a conversation,

 

“Helena?” She finally turned, and he could tell she was expecting someone else because she looked confused,

 

“Oliver Queen.” She stated as she stood up, “What are you doing here?”

 

Oliver looked around the cemetery, decided that he can’t possibly sell this off as a coincidence and tried to stick as close to the truth as possible.

 

He shrugged, “Tommy told me that you and him went on a date. He looked happy, but I needed to make sure he’s safe with you.” He gave her small smile, disarming but not disrespectful, “I know about your father, after all. And I’m protective of my friends. Not to mention, Tommy’s been through a lot already. He doesn’t need another heartbreak.”

 

Helena narrowed her eyes at him, “So, how did you know I was going to be here?”

 

“I followed you.” He said simply and Helena scoffed,

 

“Yeah, that’s not creepy at all.”

 

“Like I said, I needed to talk to you, for Tommy’s sake. And I wasn’t going to do it on your father’s turf.” He looked behind her at the grave, clean and with fresh flowers, “Michael Statton. He was your fiance, wasn’t he? You have my condolences.”

 

Helena rolled her eyes, “You and Tommy really do tell each other everything, don’t you?”

 

Oliver shrugged, “We’ve known eachother since we were three years old. Often times all we had was each other. So, sometimes that makes us co-dependent, yes.” Helena’s eyes soften just a little bit,

 

“I suppose I understand that.” She gave the grave behind her a small smile, “Me and Michael, we were like that. I loved him with all my heart.” She turned to look at him, “Do you know what it’s like? To lose a love like that?”

 

Oliver looked away, swallowed before answering. “No, but it’s a fear that I live with everyday.” He looked at her, “I really am sorry about Michael. I don’t know what I would do if I were in your shoes.”

 

Helena’s gaze turned calculating for a few moments before they cleared, “Felicity Smoak?”

 

Oliver jerked in surprise, not having expected to hear his wife’s name from her mouth. It set him on edge, “How did you know?”

 

“I read the papers.” She said, shrugging. And then, another thought seemed to occur to her, something that made her stiffen with guilt. Her voice, when she continued was forcibly clear of any emotion, “I’m sorry. I heard about what happened at the gala. Is she alright?”

 

Oliver felt anger rise in him but he tamped it down. He couldn’t show his cards. Not yet, if not for anything else then for Tommy’s sake. Didn’t mean he didn’t want to put a couple of arrows in her though.

 

“She’s alright.” He said, then feeling vindictive, he continued, “For a moment there though, I was sure she wasn’t. For a moment there, I was sure I was going to die with her.”

 

Helena looked shocked, but Oliver didn’t look away. Let her feel all the guilt she could. She deserved all of it and more.

 

“When Michael…” She stopped, and took a deep breath before continuing, “When Michael died, I was sure he had taken a part of me with him. And maybe he did. I’m not the same woman I used to be before.”

 

“What do you mean?” Oliver asked, even though he knew exactly what she meant,

 

“When you love someone as much I loved Michael… As much as you seem to love Felicity, with all your heart. You can’t just… turn that emotion off when they’re taken from you. You still feel things just as deeply. And if it can’t be love that you feel… then it becomes hate.”

 

“Hate for who?” Oliver asked softly, and despite himself, he almost pitied her. He recognized in her what he could’ve become if he hadn’t met Felicity. But even worse, he recognized in her, what he could still become if he loses the woman he loves.

 

Helena finally seemed to remember who she was talking to. She shook her head, and began to walk away, “You should tell Tommy to stay away from me. I’m not a very good person.”

 

Oliver stood there for a moment, and then sighed, following her. He supposes he can’t get much else from her as Oliver Queen, and he doubts she would talk this freely with the Arrow. Might as well just go back to his wife and get at least a few hours rest.

 

They had been at the entrance of the cemetery, when they heard the screeching of wheels on gravel, and in the next moment, both of them head guns pointing to their heads. Oliver raised his hands, inwardly wondering just what else was he going to have to endure tonight before he could go home.

 

Apparently, kidnapping was on that list.

 

>\---------|>

 

Oliver sighed, walking upstairs to his room, every bone in his body weighing a tonne. Tonight had been a disaster. He had not only lost to an untrained woman who was a terrible shot, he had also been kidnapped, and had to use his skills to get out of the situation.

 

If Helena hadn’t killed everybody in that building, hie secret would’ve been out.

 

He didn’t know which outcome would’ve been worse.

 

He opened the door to his bedroom to see Tommy slumped in his bed, and Felicity pacing near the desk, her laptop open and programs running. She turned when she heard the door open, and ran towards him with a relieved sob, crashing into him with momentum. Oliver sighed, relaxing into her arms and holding on to her tight.

  


Tommy got up from the bed and walked closer to the pair but he didn’t interrupt the moment. Instead, he looked over at them with soft eyes, seeing Oliver visibly relax in her arms, a smile forming on his face. Seeing Felicity’s tears subduing the moment they touch and he’s in her arms. Tommy couldn’t deny he was jealous, and yes, maybe he was a bit bitter too. But, all those negative emotions always got overridden by how happy he was for best friend. And how much he loved how happy Oliver finally was. It was like he had this new sense of peace. Something that was missing even before the island. Something that only ever came out when he was with Felicity.

 

“I’m okay.” Oliver whispered into his wife’s hair,

 

“Yeah, well. You’re three hours late. I tried calling, nothing. I tried the GPS, but it wasn’t giving out any signal. Where were you anyway?”

 

“We got kidnapped, actually.” Oliver said as they finally stepped away from each other, still touching, but the desperation had loosened it’s holds on their soul a little, “It was Salvati and his men.”

 

“What? Is Helena okay?” Tommy asked, finally getting their attention. Oliver rolled his eyes, but Tommy couldn’t read the expression on his face,

 

“Depends on your definition. I wouldn’t call a woman who killed five unconscious people ‘okay’.”

 

Tommy froze. He couldn’t bring himself to accept it. After everything’s that happened… with Laurel and his dad, he was sure at least this would go his way.

 

He needed this to go okay.

 

“Tommy-” Felicity started to say, but Tommy walked away before she could. He needed to get away. From them and their perfect pairing and all their love-fest.

 

He loved them, but they couldn’t possibly understand him.

 

He needed to talk to someone who would understand.

 

He needed to talk to Helena.

 

Felicity watched Tommy go with a frown, but when she tried to follow, Oliver stopped her, taking her hand and intertwining their fingers so that she couldn’t go too far. (like she would ever want to)

 

“Let him be for now. He needs to cool down. I’ll talk to him tomorrow.” Oliver suggested.

 

“Okay.” Instead, she walked back to her husband, placing a hand over his cheek, “Are you alright?” She asked,

 

“I am now.” Oliver took a deep breath in, “But, there is one more thing.”

 

“Of course there is.” Felicity sighed, thunking her head on Oliver’s chest, and he would’ve smiled at her antics if the topic of discussion hadn’t been so serious.

 

“She knows who I am, Felicity.” He told her softly. Felicity looked up at him in confusion and Oliver clarified, “She knows I’m the arrow.” Felicity’s eyes widened,

 

“How?!”

 

“I’m not sure. But, I could tell she recognized me. Something changed on her face.”

 

Felicity just took in the new information silently for a moment before nodding resolutely,

 

“What do I need to do?” Oliver sighed exhaustedly,

 

“I don’t know yet. But, Felicity… I don’t think she’s a bad person-”

 

“Oliver-”

 

“Listen, please. Michael wasn’t the FBI’s mole. She was. She was ready to put her father and their entire legacy behind bars because she couldn’t stomach what he did. And I know that she’s killed people before, but so have I. How can I judge her when I could’ve _been_ her?”

 

“You’re nothing like her.” Felicity said, and the steel and conviction in her voice was familiar. Oliver was used to agreeing with his wife on anything and everything whenever she used that tone of voice. Only, it wasn’t working so well this time.

 

“I just…  I just think that I can teach her a different way. A better way. Just like you showed me.” He could tell Felicity was about to argue from the furrow of her brow, so instead he pulled her closer and kissed her long enough for both of them to lose their breaths. “Can we table this conversation for tomorrow, you think? Right now, I really just want to cuddle and sleep.”

 

So, maybe he was cheating just a little. Felicity still looked a bit dazed even as she nodded in agreement. It wasn’t till they’d both changed into sleepwear and were spooning on the bed that she spoke,

 

“I would just like you to note that I know exactly what you pulled just now, mister, and it is absolutely not appreciated. The only reason we’re not discussing this further tonight is because I’m also tired to my very bones.”

 

Oliver chuckled tiredly, burying his face into her neck and placing a kiss behind her ear, “Noted, Mrs. Queen.”

 

“Good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I did something cool. If you go back and read my cemetery scene and go watch the youtube clip of the same scene on youtube, you'll realise that almost all the dialouge is the same. And it was so difficult to do because in the show Oliver and Helena have already bonded (yuck) but in here, they're barely acquaintances not to mention, I had to weave in Tommy and Felicity. But, I think I did a good job? (p.s. this is where you feedback and kudos ;) )
> 
> If you want to see the action parts, you can go youtube those too. I didn't want to write the same things that happen on the show so I often omit the parts I'm going to have to copy from the scripts. ALso, this update is already a mommoth without all the action sequences.
> 
> If you wanna know when I'll update next, or if you simply like me as a person (say whAT), you can find me on tumblr @inenochian and on twitter @in_enochian.


	17. Why Did You Leave Me Here To Burn? (I'm Too Young To Be This Hurt)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, has it been almost a week since I updated? It feels like a lot more. I liked it better when I had a schedule, but rn my life in is a disarray, and i was too busy binging runaways to write. But, anyways, Thank you for all the feedback and kudos in my last update! This chap has a LOT of Tommy, so I hope you enjoy it (don't worry. his presence doesn't take anything from all the olicity goodness).
> 
> Also, I know it's a bit late (I don't celebrate it but) MERRY CHRISTMAS (HAPPY HANUKKAH) Y'ALL! I HOPE YOU GUYS GOT ALL THE PRESENTS THAT YOU WANTED!!
> 
> Anyway, always remember, feedback and kudos feed the soul!  
> HAPPY READING!!
> 
> This chapter's name is brought to you by the song 'I Have Questions' By Camila Cabello

Helena startled when she heard knocking sounds on her window. She turned around, in a robe and hair still wet from the recent shower to find Tommy standing there outside her balcony. He gave her an awkward wave, and she rushed forward to let him in, afraid one of her father's guard would find him hanging outside her room like an creep in the middle of the night, 

 

“What are you doing here?” She whisper yelled at him, then shook her head, “Never mind that, I can guess. Tell me how you managed to climb in?”

 

Tommy shrugged even as he stepped inside, “I may not be some kind of a vigilante, but I was still a wild child of two extremely rich parents. I know how to avoid security and sneak into places.”

 

Helena rolled her eyes, but turned away, “Look, if you’re worried about if I will tell anyone about your friend’s green secret, then you can rest assured I won’t.”

 

Tommy blinked, “Wait, you know? How do you know?”

 

“I saw him fight, with and without the mask.” Helena shrugged, “And I saw his eyes. It wasn’t that hard to piece everything together.”

 

Tommy shook his head, and decided to put a pin on that, “Look, this isn’t why I came here. I came here you ask for your side of the story.”

 

Helena looked at him, confused, “What do you mean?”

 

Tommy sighed, “Ollie told me what happened at the warehouse. I just… I like you Helena, I really really do. But, I think that whatever it is you’re trying to do, there’s a better way to do it.”

 

Helena scoffed, “Like Oliver’s way?” She asked sarcastically, but Tommy threw his hands up in exasperation,

 

“Maybe! It seems to be working so far.” Tommy sighed, “Look, what you’ve been doing so far? Killing people in an attempt to avenge Michael, it isn’t justice. It’s vengeance-”

 

“Sometimes, Vengeance is justice.” Helena argued. 

 

Tommy shook his head, “Not like this. Not by stooping to your father’s level. What Oliver is doing? He’s righting his father’s wrongs and saving this city. That’s justice. Helena, there is another way.”

 

“Yes, well… Oliver still has a light inside of him, doesn’t he?” She looked at Tommy, tears in her eyes, “He still has that one person who brings it out of him. I lost my light the day I lost Michael. The same way I know Oliver will lose his if he ever loses Felicity.” She walked closer to him, “I’m not a good person, Tommy. You should stay away from me.”

 

Tommy shook his head again, framing Helena’s shoulders with his hands, “Hey, I know I’m not Michael, and maybe I will never be able to be what he was to you, But, Helena, I’m not going anywhere. And If you need light, then I’ll do everything and anything to be that for you.” He pulled her closer gently, making sure that she was looking right at him even as he spoke as softly and as seriously as possible, “ _ I can show you a better way. _ ”

 

Helena took a deep breath, “I haven’t let another man in since Michael.” She told him, her eyes open and vulnerable. Tommy nodded,

 

“I know.”

 

“But, I want to let you in.” She continued, and Tommy smiled wide, but sombered when she continued, “So, you have to promise me, Tommy. Promise me you will never hurt me.”

 

“I promise.” Tommy whispered seriously, and the next moment, they were kissing.

 

It was so warm, and so light and when Tommy was kissing Helena, he could almost forget about Laurel.

 

_ (almost.) _

 

>\---------|>

 

When Felicity and Oliver came downstairs for breakfast the next morning, they were both in for a pleasant surprise when they saw Walter sitting on the head of the table. Walter smiled when he looked up from his newspaper at the two of them,

 

“Ah! Felicity, Oliver, good morning.”

 

“Walter!” Felicity exclaimed, “It is so good to see you. We didn’t know you were coming.”

 

“Yes, well. I was finally able to deal with all the business in Australia.” Walter then looked at Oliver, “Considering I don’t have much work piled up in my absence, I’m guessing you were able to do a good job? I’m very proud, Oliver.”

 

Oliver shrugged of the compliment, instead feeling relieved at the older man’s presence. Oliver was starting to get worried about him, “I just did everything you taught me. I am happy you’re back now. Acting as the interim CEO is very difficult.”

 

“Yes well, at least now when I do retire, I know that your father’s company is going to be in good hands.” Walter said and looked at his watch, “Which reminds me, I should’ve been in my car five minutes ago.” He stood up, and walked over to the doorway, squeezing Oliver’s shoulder on the way, “I’ll see the two of you at dinner tonight.”

 

“I’m glad he’s back.” Felicity said to Oliver as they sat at the table for breakfast, “Moira was starting to look sullen despite her best efforts.”

 

Oliver nodded, “I’m sure that she missed him.” He said, passing over the sugar dispenser over to Felicity without her asking just as she reached for the coffee pot. In return, Felicity poured Oliver’s coffee when he silently put his mug out. “I do have a meeting at 9, today. But, I’ll try to finish all the work as soon as I can and meet you at Smoak Tech by lunch, okay?” Oliver asked and Felicity nodded,

 

“Sounds good. I do have a few leads about Tempest that I want to check out anyway.”

 

Oliver’s brows furrowed, “I thought that was a dead end?”

 

“So did I. But, when I was waiting for Zari’s video call yesterday, I just went through the numbers again, and because I was bored, decided to dig through all the records once more. I don’t have anything solid yet, but I’m working on it.”

 

“Okay. Keep me updated, please.”

 

“Of course.” 

 

The couple were on their way out to their respective offices when Thea bounded downstairs in her uniform, a tiny stylish black leather backpack swung around her shoulders,

 

“Could you please, please give me a ride to school on your way-” She began to say, but Oliver cut her off,

 

“I would really like to, Speedy, but I have a meeting in like a half hour and-”

 

Thea smiled sheepishly, “No offence, Ollie, but I was talking to Felicity.”

 

Felicity gave her husband a smug smile even as he scowled at the two women,

 

“What? Why?”

 

Thea raised a brow, “Because she’s not my embarrassing older brother?” She said jokingly, and Oliver huffed, 

 

“Please, I drive a porsche, and I love Felicity, but, she drives a red mini cooper. I think I can tell which one of us is cooler.”

 

“Hey!” Felicity protested even as she laughed,

 

“Oh! Gertti is cute, Ollie!” Thea defended, “And besides don’t you have a meeting you’re going to be late for? Do you really want to stand here and argue who's cooler between you and your more attractive other half.”

 

Oliver rolled his eyes, but didn’t argue, “You’re right. I don’t have time for this.” He said, placing a kiss on Thea’s head and another on Felicity’s lips, “Besides I’m not too confident I would’ve won either way.” He grabbed the breiefcase containing all the important papers and his car keys, “I’ll see you at dinner, Speedy.”

 

“Bye, Ollie.” 

>\---------|>

 

Oliver loosened his tie as he walked downstairs into the foundry. Since Walter had come back, his workload had significantly lessened, so he had found himself free for the rest of the day. He had decided to spend his free time catching up with whatever Felicity had found on the Tempest, and when he couldn’t find her in her office on the first floor, he knew she would be in the basement.

 

He was right. He found his wife working on her computers. She turned around when she heard footsteps and smiled when she saw who it was,

 

“Hey there.” She said rotating her chair till she was facing him, “You’re here early.”

 

“Hmm.” Oliver agreed and showed her the Big Belly paper bag in his hand, “And I bought nourishment.”

 

Felicity mock pouted even as Oliver walked closer, “And I love you for it, but as much as I love those, Big Bellys are starting to give me a Big Belly.” She said, rubbing her stomach. Oliver smiled, and bent down to kiss his wife hello when he was close enough,

 

“What are you talking about? You look perfect.” Felicity rolled her eyes,

 

“You and I both know I’m not getting the same level of exercise as I used to since we quit ARGUS. And I’ve been eating whatever you’ve been eating-”

 

“That’s not true. You’re eating whatever I’m eating, but in Felicity-sized portions.”

 

Felicity rolled her eyes, “Oh come on, You can’t tell me that you didn’t notice my dresses getting extra snug these past few weeks.” Oliver’s eyes darkened, and he smirked devilishly,

 

“Oh, I definitely noticed.” He said, and leaned closer for another kiss, deeper and more filthy. Felicity rolled her eyes even as she lost herself in her husband, and couldn’t help but feel dazed when he finally pulled away, the need for oxygen becoming too apparent,

 

“We can always start working out together again. I miss seeing you all breathless and sweaty in those tight workout pants of yours.”

 

Felicity smiled at his charm, but agreed. She had missed it too, afterall. As fun as it was staring at Oliver while he sparred with Diggle or climbed the Salmon Ladder, being able to touch him, all glistening from sweat and heart beating fast, was even better.

 

“It’s a deal, Mr. Queen.” Felicity said and Oliver grinned,

 

“Looking forward to it.” He pulled the stool in front of the med table and dragged it over next to his wife whilst she took out the food from the paper bag, handing him his two double buster big belly burgers and extra large onion rings before taking out her own big belly buster and large french fries order, with an extra large coke to share. They ate in companionable silence, occasionally breaking it to share something about their day. Once they were done, Felicity turned around to her monitors to show Oliver what she had found after four consecutive hours of research,

 

“So, there was something about the money transfer that had felt hinky to me.” She told her husband, highlighting the records in question on her screen, “The money your mother withdrew, I wasn’t the only one who tracked it. And whoever it is, they’re good.” She turned to Oliver, “But, as you know, I’m good too.”

 

Oliver nodded, looking at the screen gravely and listening to his wife as she opened up another window on the screen, “So, even though they left almost no trace of themselves, I was able to find one thing. One image.” She hesitated before sighing, “Oliver, it doesn’t look good.”

 

Oliver frowned, “What did you find, Felicity?”

 

Felicity sighed, and brought up the picture on the screen. Oliver froze beside her, staring at the image, not comprehending. Felicity could relate. It had been her first reaction too. She didn’t know what that symbol meant, but she knew that the same symbol was printed on the very first page of Robert’s notebook. The list that Oliver was sure contained the name of every corrupt elite in Starling City.

 

“You…” Oliver swallowed, finding it difficult to complete the thought, much less word it, “You think but mother’s involved?”

 

“I don’t know…” Felicity answered honestly, “Maybe she is an accomplice. Maybe whoever was going through her records was doing it without Moira’s knowledge-”

 

“It could be that! I mean, if mom was involved, her name would’ve been on the list, right?” Oliver said, latching onto that possibility. Felicity pursed her lips, not wanting to upset Oliver even more than he already was,

 

“There is that. But, then again, your father was involved, and his name wasn’t on the list.”

 

Oliver shrugged, not wanting to see the flaw in his logic, “That’s because he compiled the list.”

 

“Do you really think he would write down his own wife’s name even if Moira was involved?” Felicity asked softly, and Oliver glared at her. She knew he wasn’t angry at her specifically, but just the circumstances in general. She sighed when he stood up abruptly, forcefully, the stool falling to the ground with a loud  _ clank _ ,

 

“I know my mum, Felicity. She wouldn’t do this. She’s a nice person.” He gritted out, pacing, and Felicity got up too, much more calmly and walked over to him,

 

“We have too many missing pieces in this mystery to jump to any conclusions right now.” She assured him, She framed his face with her hands, forcing him to look at her. His eyes reminded her to turbulent waters, or stormy seas as ironic as that was, “But, Oliver, it’s been five years. She thinks the same about you. People change. And grief changes them even more drastically. I’m not asking you to consider Moira a target-” Oliver scoffed, but Felicity pressed harder, shifted closer and pulled herself up till they were level, “I’m not, Oliver. I’m just asking you to not to the opposite either. I know it’s difficult, but I need you to keep an open mind. At least till we can gather more evidence.”

 

Oliver kept silent, his eyes roaming over her face even as his jaw ticked with how forcefully he was pressing his teeth together. “She’s innocent.” He growled stubbornly, and Felicity sighed. So, maybe he’s emotionally compromised. She’s his mother. Who can blame him? Felicity will just have to be open minded enough for the both of them.

 

She eased up on him, trailing her hands from his face down to his neck to shoulders to chest and resting them there even as she lowered herself to back to her original height,

 

“Okay.” She said. It wasn’t agreement as much as it was an agreement to disagree. But, Oliver knew that was all he would get from her. And maybe this was for the best. This way, they get to cover all their ground, and Oliver gets to tell his wife ‘I told you so’ when she finally lets go of this ridiculous notion of his mother being involved with whatever his father was responsible for.

 

“Okay.”

 

They had just settled down a little when they heard two more pair of footsteps coming down the foundry. Felicity frowned when she heard a pair of heels clicking down the metal staircase, and Oliver stiffend, coming over to stand in front of her. Felicity huffed at his protectiveness even as she moved near the shotgun that was strapped on the underside of the med table, but then Tommy came into view. Felicity realexd when she saw that he was grinning, and scowled when she saw Helena Bertinelli following behind him,

 

“So, this is where the infamous Hood conducts his operations from, huh?” Helena drawled, casually looking around. Oliver glared at the pair of them,

 

“Tommy, what the hell?!”

 

“What?” Tommy asked innocently, “I thought you were on board with helping Helena?”

 

“Doesn’t mean I want her to know everything about this. There are still things she doesn’t know. Or, well she didn’t. Before you brought her here.”

 

Tommy sighed, “Look, if this is about your identity-”

 

“I know she knows about who I am. What she didn’t know is where I work from. Or with who. Two things nobody that I don’t trust should know about.”

 

Tommy crossed his arms, “Well, you can trust Helena. And besides, there is no one here right now.”

 

A throat cleared from behind Oliver, and Felicity popped her head with an uncomfortable smile, “Hey there.” 

 

Tommy looked at Felicity, then Oliver, before looking at Felicity again. He glared at his best friend, offended, “Seriously, you’re gonna give me a complex here, man. How the hell can you hide a grown woman behind you?”

 

Oliver shrugged even as he eyed Helena warily, who was listening to their conversation flippantly, “Felicity’s short.” He said airily.

 

Felicity huffed, “I don’t know how many times we can have the same argument. I’m 5’5”. In these heels, I’m easily 5’8”. That’s not short, Oliver. You’re just a giant.”

 

Oliver rolled his eyes, but didn’t argue. He had more pressing issues taking his time. Like the fact that there was a perfect stranger in his base who had clearly seen his wife. He directed his glare back to Tommy,

 

“You should have asked.” He told his best friend. Tommy at least had the nerve to look apologetic but he still didn’t budge on his point. He walked closer to Oliver, and gave him a pleading look, “Look, she needs help. She needs guidance. I promised I would be there for her. You agreed that she can be better. Then help me teach her another way. Your way.”

 

The two men looked at each other for a few moments, almost a silent battle of wills before Oliver sighed.

 

“Fine.” He gruffed, and turned to look at Helena, his eyes hard and stance tense, “But, this is going to be on my terms.”

 

It was clear the Helena didn’t like the plan just as much as Oliver, if not more. But, she turned to look at Tommy, and he gave her an encouraging nod. Reluctantly, she gave Oliver a nod, and Oliver nodded back. Then, he turned to his wife,

 

“Maybe you wanna go work upstairs?” He asked her softly, and Felicity gave him an amused brow rise,

 

“Why? I already know your regular teaching regiment. I have to say, I’m slightly looking forward to this.”

 

Oliver rolled his eyes at her impish expression, “Fine. But, you can’t laugh. Not like last time.”

 

Felicity mimed zipping her lips shut, and Oliver huffed, partly wishing she would take this more seriously, and partly amused. He placed a light kiss on her forehead before walking away to the backroom of the base. Tommy frowned thoughtfully at the room his friend had walked into,

 

“What’s in there?” He asked Felicity curiously. Felicity bit her lip to hide her smile, and slyly replied,

 

“The kitchen.”

 

>\---------|>

 

Tommy ran after Helena, panicked and cursing his best friend with every step. Tommy honestly didn’t know what Oliver was thinking. And then he had the gall to look surprised when Helena decided enough was enough and stormed off.

 

“Helena, wait!” He called out just as he reached her, grabbing her wrist and turning her around so that she was facing him. Her face was red, and eyes were blazing with anger. Tommy pursed his lips in sympathy,

 

“Look, I know what Oliver made you do might look kinda stupid but-” Helena scoffed, cutting him off,

 

“He made me slap a bowl of water, Tommy! For three fucking hours! In front of you, and his associate, and his girlfriend. It was embarrassing and more importantly, it was fucking useless!”

 

“Now, I wouldn't say that..” Tommy started nervously, “Oliver’s just a little-”

 

The look that Helena sent him was downright venomous, “Are you really taking his side?” she asked scathingly, and Tommy immediately shook his head,

 

“No, of course not. Why would I? I don’t have a death wish.” He chuckled awkwardly, and Helena huffed, her mood turning glum. Tommy couldn’t see her like this. Upset at him and what seemed like the rest of the world. He sighed, and pulled Helena closer to him, holding her shoulders gently even as he asked,

 

“Look, why don’t we go to dinner? We’ll forget about today, go to Table Salt and just have a good time. And I’ll talk to Ollie tomorrow?”

 

Helena narrowed her eyes, “I thought you got cut off. Can you really afford Table Salt?”

 

Tommy shrugged, “If I don’t eat out for the next two weeks, sure.”He laughed at Helena’s exasperated look, “Look, I just want you to be happy. Anything for that, okay?”

 

Helena regarded him silently for a few moments before smiling slightly, “Okay.”

 

>\---------|>

 

Laurel smiled politely when Carter Bowen held the door to Table Salt open for her. They had been casually dating for the past few weeks, and though Laurel still wasn’t ready for anything serious, Carter’s generosity had been very enjoyable. She had already been planning on introducing him to Ollie as her boyfriend and enjoy his jealous reaction. They stepped into the crowded restaurant together, and Laurel smiled when people around them couldn’t help but give them a second glance. She stopped short when she saw Tommy though, a gorgeous woman on his arm while he waited for his table.

 

Her mood dimmed a bit, and then further when she realised that Carter had followed her eyes and was now excitedly waving to Tommy,

 

“Look who we bumped into!” He spoke just as Tommy turned around to face them, the brunette next to him giving Laurel and her date a careless appraisal, “Tommy Merlyn, as I live and breath! Isn’t this a small world!”

 

But, Tommy wasn’t paying attention. Because, Laurel was right there. Looking as immaculate and as perfect and as gorgeous as ever in her deep purple designer dress. He used to tell her that that dress on her always left him breathless. And it wasn’t any less true now. It wasn’t until he felt a slight pinch to his side, did the rest of the world fall back into place.

 

He jumped, turning to look over at Helena who was giving him a weird stare, and he remembered where he was. He gives her a smile, and then turned to Carter and Laurel,

 

“It is a small world.” He said and shook Carter’s hand, “What’re the two of you doing here?”

 

It was a stupid question, of course. He knew exactly what they were doing together at a first class restaurant. But, maybe Tommy was just a stupid guy who liked getting hurt, because he damn near challenged Laurel to answer him with the look he sent her.

 

She didn’t disappoint. 

 

Laurel smiled, wrapped an arm around Carter, leaning her head on his shoulder even as she said, “Oh, we’re on a date. I believe our fourth if I’m correct.” Then, she raised a brow and innocently asked, “And who's your date, Tommy?”

 

She was so casual. So unaffected by it all, it made Tommy want to shake her even more. Just to see her react. He wanted to make a scene. Isn’t that what you do? When you’re trying to get over someone but they show up with a new guy before you’re quite there?

 

But then he remembered Helena, and how she made him feel so warm and light. And maybe the feelings were not as intense as they were with Laurel, and maybe she was much more complicated than Laurel ever was, but Tommy liked who he was when he was with her. Unlike with Laurel, Tommy didn’t feel like Helena was completely out of his league.

 

“Laurel, Carter, this is Helena.” He introduced them just as the matire came over to their group,

 

“Mr. Carter, Ms. Lance, your table is ready.” She told the two of them, and Helena could’t help it, she’d been waiting for the past half hour, and she was starving,

 

“When will our table be ready?” She asked impatiently, 

 

“When it will be.” The matire replied, a little too snappily in Helena’s opinion, but she didn’t want to make a scene, so she just glared at the woman.

“Hey, why don’t you guys just share a table with us?” Carter suggested, smiling widely, “It’ll be nice catching up with you, Merlyn.”

 

_ I very much doubt it,  _ Tommy thought, but instead of saying those exact words, he was about to just give them a polite smile, and reject the offer, but Helena beat him to it,

 

“That’s so sweet.” She said, smiling widely, “We would love to.”

 

Tommy chuckled awkwardly while Carter arranged the new seating arrangements with the maitre. He leaned closer to Helena and whispered,

 

“Are you sure about this?” He asked her. She gave him a wide smile, all shark teeth and no warmth,

 

“I’m sure that I’m starving. Besides, what’s there to be worried about?” She asked innocently, in a way that suggested she knew exactly what could go wrong. But, Tommy would prove to her that she had nothing to be worried about. That he would never hurt her.

 

So, Tommy sighed, and agreed, “A table for four it is.”

 

>\----------|>

 

“Are you sure we should be doing this here?” Felicity asked, panting heavily even as she dragged her hands over her husband’s arms, circling his shoulders and pulling him further down where he was laying on top of her, “Anybody could come in any moment.”

 

She didn’t give Oliver the chance to answer though, instead placing her mouth over his, sighing when he rolled them till she was on top of him and he was under her. They were both sweaty from the workout they had been in the middle of, before Oliver had gotten distracted by his wife’s ass in spandex, and they had ended up making out on the mats,

 

“Digg’s already back home.” Oliver breathed out when they pulled away for air, he pulled himself up  in a sitting position, Felicity on his lap and trailed his lips down her throat, leaving hot kisses as he made his followed a path to her collarbone, down her chest, licking droplets of sweat on his way, “Tommy called and said he’s going on a date. It’s just us.” He murmured even as his fingers dipped underneath her sports bra.

 

Felicity moaned, her hands fisting around her husband’s hair and tugging till he pulled away enough for her to kiss him again. The foundry was filled with the sounds of their heavy breathing and soft grunts as they grinded against each other, Oliver’s hand dipping under her pants, palming her ass, making Felicity head drop unto his shoulder with a moan,

 

_ SCREEEECH _

 

Felicity jumped, eyes wide as she looked over where footsteps raced down the foundry staircase. Oliver was frozen under her, gripping her to him in surprise even as Felicity tried to move away. Seconds later, they saw Tommy come down the last steps, obviously out of breath and looking around the base. His eyes landed on the pair of them on the mats, and his eyes widened comically. In a instant, he turned around, clearing his throat but not being able to say a word,

 

“Tommy, what the hell are you doing here?!” Oliver asked, finally getting over the shock. Felicity got up, giving him a hand to help him stand too. Oliver walked over to the med bay, tossing Felicity’s white hoodie over to her, who pulled it over her head, and wearing one of his many black henleys  himself,

 

“You can turn around now, Tommy.” Felicity sighed at her friend. He was so tensed, his spine was ramrod straight. Tommy turned around slowly, his face red and looking anywhere but at the couple,

 

“Seriously guys? At the foundry?” Oliver rolled his eyes,

 

“You were supposed to be on a date. And Digg’s already gone home.” He justified, knowing if it had been Digg who had found them, that excuse wouldn’t have flown.

 

“What happened, Tommy? You look upset.” Felicity asked, when she saw Tommy’s face fall at the reminder. Tommy sighed,

 

“You were right about Helena. Both you and Digg were.”

 

Felicity’s face cleared, understanding making her feel sorry for the man in front of her, “About what?” She asked softly, wanting to know exactly what had gone wrong,

 

“About everything.” Tommy looked away, “I should’ve listened to you.”

 

Oliver shook his head, “Tommy, you wanted to help her change. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

 

“But, the thing is, she already did change.” Felicity continued for her husband, “And unlike, Oliver, her sufferings didn’t turn her into a hero. Her father killing her fiance, it broke her. Turned her into someone dark and twisted. You see that now, don’t you?”

 

“It’s not that I… It’s not that I didn’t see it before, Felicity. I just… I didn’t want to.” He looked at the pair of them, how they always looked so perfect together. Woman and Man, light and dark, brains and brawns. He admired how compatible they were even after being so different. It’s like they completed each other. Balanced each other. Tommy had wanted something like that. Wanted to be the Felicity to someone’s Oliver.

 

It sounded so cheesy when he put it like that, but Tommy had just wanted to love someone and wanted to be loved in return. In his haste, he had chosen the first person whose darkness attracted him to her. And in the end, he had ended up hurting her even more.

 

“I just… I wanted to help her. I wanted to love her. But, I looked into her eyes tonight.” Tommy said, remembering the disaster that was their double date. Remembering Helena’s barbed words directed towards him,

 

_ “I told you that I couldn't be hurt again.” Helena had glared at him, “You promised me that you wouldn’t.” _

 

_ Tommy had been confused then, hadn’t known what he had done. So, like an idiot, he had asked, _

 

_ “What did I do wrong?” _

 

_ She had scoffed then, hurt and angry and just so hurt, “Laurel? I saw how you looked at her tonight. After everything she put you through, you still love her.” She shook her head, “Love like that doesn’t go away, Tommy.” _

 

_ Tommy had been desperate then, he had just wanted one win. One win after that disastrous double date, and the practice session before that, and the previous week before that. So, he had tried to stop her from leaving. Tried to ask her to hear him out, but the look that Helena had sent him stopped him cold. _

 

_ She had just looked so done. With him. With everything. _

 

_ And he just knew. _

 

“I can’t save her from falling off the edge.” Tommy tells them now, “She’s… She’s already past it.” He looked at Oliver, imploring him to understand, “I’m scared that she’s going to do something bad.”

 

Oliver’s jaw clenched, but he nodded. He felt his wife’s hand hold his, finger’s intertwining in unconditional support. She was going to be on his side no matter what he decided in this matter. Which was always nice, but Oliver knew that this time, not only will Felicity support his decision, she will agree with it.

 

Between his wife, his best friend, and his city, Helena had already caused too much damage. It was time to put a stop to her.

 

>\----------|>

 

Oliver found Tommy sulking in the very end booth of Roxy’s diner. He sighed, his own heart hurting for his friend and walked over to take a seat across from him,

 

“Hey.” He greeted. Tommy looked up, and for the first time Oliver noticed the brown paper bag wrapped bottle beside his friend. Tommy was drinking. Oliver grimaced. Tommy was a sad, sappy drunk.

 

“Hey there buddy.” Tommy drawled and then pointed at the television, “I saw the news. Good job. Frank Bertinelli was arrested.” Tommy hesitated, looking down at the bottle before asking, “Did Helena-”

 

“She got away.” Oliver said. It had been frustrating. But, Helena had managed to run away when Oliver was too busy capturing Frank Bertinelli. He had a hunch that this won’t be the last time they saw her. But, he wasn’t going to tell Tommy that.

 

“Oh.” Tommy said simply, and then picked up one of the fries on his tray, playing with it before tossing it back. Oliver sighed,

 

“Okay, I know this is tough right now, buddy but-”

 

“Am I really about to get relationship advice from a castaway?” Tommy was also a slightly mean drunk. Oliver had learned after years together to not take it personally.

 

“A castaway with two years of marriage under his belt, buddy.” Oliver joked, but Tommy just looked at him miserably. Oliver sighed, “Look Tommy, I haven’t had much experience with dating.” He said, smiling “I mean, look at me. I’m 24. I got married at 22 with the woman I fell in love with when I was 21. Before that, I was in a toxic relationship with Laurel, and before that, there were just a lot of one night stands. But, what I have learned is, Love isn’t about saving or changing a person.”

 

That got Tommy’s attention. He had thought that the reason Oliver and Felicity had been so good together was because Felicity saved him from himself,

 

“I mean, sure. Felicity makes me a better person. She’s the best part of me. But, she didn’t save me by trying to change me.” Oliver shrugged, “She accepted me for who I was. Saw what I could become but didn’t put expectations on me. And it me want to be worthy for her. Felicity and I,” Oliver looked away, smiling at the tiny salt and pepper shakers on the booth table, “I like to think that we were made for eachother. That we were just meant to fit together.” He looked at Tommy, “And I’m not saying that whoever you end up having a relationship with will be like ours, but Tommy, you don’t have to force it. You don’t have to wait for it. You put yourself out there with Laurel, with Helena, and that was so brave of you, but you never have to chase after someone you’re meant to love. Because, instead of running away, they’re running towards you too.”

 

Tommy blinked, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk that much in one sitting. Not since you came back.”

 

Oliver shrugged, “You’re my best friend. I want you to be happy.” He leaned closer, whispering conspiratorially,  “And I know this might sound quite hypocritical coming from me, but Tommy, you don’t need to be in love to be happy-”

 

Tommy snorted, “Definitely something a guy in love would say.”

 

“Maybe.” Oliver gave his friend a crooked smile, “But, that doesn't make it any less true.” He leaned forward, patted Tommy’s shoulder hard till Tommy shoved him away with a laugh,

 

“Knock it off, Ollie.” Tommy said, drunkenly laughing, and Oliver laughed with him,

 

“You’re gonna be just fine, my friend.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO, Helena's gone. Tommy's healing, and Oliver and Felicity almost had sex in the bunker. (I hope that steamy scene wasn't too awkward. I still can't write smut. I've never written smut. In fact, that is the closest I've ever been to writing smut. Be gentle with me!)
> 
> Tbh, I still am not sure who I want Tommy to end up with. I might do a twitter poll in the future. Who knows *shurgs*. I just, want Tommy to be with the perfect woman, ya'know?
> 
> ANyway, the helena saga is finally wrapped up (for now). I enjoyed writing her. Tell me what y'all thought by giving me your feedback and kudos. And I hope the rest of your holidays go well.
> 
> To know when I update next, you can follow me on twitter @in_enochian and on tumblr @inenochian
> 
> -ms


	18. He Treat Me Nice, He Treat Me Right, He Treat Me Good (Still I Get So Hesitant)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S 2019!!!
> 
> I really hope this year goes well for all of y'all. 2018 ended with a bang for me (thank you purefandom.com) . Thank you for supporting this story so far, and I really hope you stick with me till the end. I never thought that this would get so popular and I'm honestly thankful everyday. I love you. That being said, 
> 
> @elcorta, thank you for comparing my work to drugs. One of the best compliments I've gotten. ;)
> 
> @Newsies73, thank you for consecutively writing reviews every chapter. I love you for it <3
> 
> @prisonxsmoaks and @ElementSiren, I really have no idea where you got the whole 'Felicity might be pregnant' thing from. It was honestly not what I was going for. But, now the idea has been firmly planted in my head, so we'll see if it bears any fruit.
> 
> This chapter is motsly fluff with plot sprinkled here and there because it's new years and we deserve something nice. Think of it as a present. And leave feeback and kudos for your favourite writer (that's me!!)
> 
> HAPPY READING!!

Walter stared at the little brown notebook in his hands. He had found it in his wife’s office last night. He hadn’t been snooping, of course. Walter thought himself too dignified to ever stoop down so low. But, he was looking for one of the PR files before he had to talk to the department the next day, and it had been right there on her desk.

 

There wasn’t anything incriminating about a brown notebook in particular, and Walter wouldn’t have even questioned it if it weren’t for the fact that Walter had seen the same book a million times before with Robert. Now that Walter and Moira were married, people tended to forget just how close Robert and him were. Robert didn’t trust a lot of people, but he had trusted Walter the most when it came to the Queen Consolidated business. So, when Walter had ever so lightly asked about the brown book in question, and hadn’t gotten a straight answer from his closet friend, it had made him suspicious of it instantly.

 

Now, Walter didn’t know weather Robert’s death had anything to do with that notebook, but finding an identical (or maybe even the same) one with Moira, knowing that she had also salvaged the pieces of the Gambit, well, it made Walter question things. 

 

Things like his wife’s involvement in her ex-husband’s murder.

 

Walter loved Moira, possibly more than any other woman he had ever loved. But, he had also loved Robert, not in the same context of course, but in similar intensities, and for a lot longer. He didn’t know what he would do if Moira was somehow involved in the murder of Walter’s best friend.

 

He didn’t think then, just took the notebook and left. He knew he couldn’t involve Oliver into the anymore, this was getting too sinister, and inadvertently, he couldn’t ask Felicity for help either. And though, having those two on his side would’ve been very convenient, he did have an entire company at his disposal, and Walter  _ will _ get to the bottom of this.

 

>\--------|>

 

Oliver woke up that morning to a grinning Felicity straddling him, her face so close to his, her blonde hair fell around them, seemingly closing them off from the rest of the world. Oliver found himself smiling back at her, lazy and wide even as he brought his hand up to trace her cheeks, soft and smooth, letting his fingers linger where the apples of her cheek touched the bottom frame of her glasses because of how hard she was smiling at him,

 

“Hey you.” He whispered, his voice gruff and husky from sleep. 

 

“Merry Christmas, honey!” She whispered back excitedly, leaning over till their lips met in a kiss. Oliver smiled into it, making her giggle airily even as she pulled away,

 

“Happy Hanukkah.” He replied, and then, in one smooth move, turned them both over till she was laughing under him, the golden strands of her hair fanning against the white covers and shining under the sunlight washing over them. Silence washed over them, Felicity’s laughs subsiding till they were just taking in each other silently,

 

“I know you didn’t want to make it a big deal this year, but we could’ve done a lot more than just light the menorah every evening.” Oliver said, making Felicity raise a brow, amused,

 

“Something that you’ve told me everyday since the start of Hanukkah.” She sighed, looped her arms around her husband’s shoulders, “I like quiet evenings, lighting the menorah, with just the two of us. It’s a tradition now.”

 

Oliver hmmed, bent down to steal a couple more kisses before coming up for air, “Well, you won’t hear me complaining. But!” He continued, and pulled away, stretching over to his side of the bedside table till he could open the drawer, taking out a small dark green velvet box and sitting across from his wife, “I did get you a christmas present.”

 

Felicity’s mouth opened in an small ‘o’, and she sat up straighter, scooting closer till their knees touched. Oliver gave her a nervous smile, before popping the box open,

 

Nestled snugly in the box, was a gold infinity ring, tiny diamonds embedded on the symbol a rather large emerald at the centre. It was beautiful, and Felicity’s breath caught in her chest as she stared at it, eyes wide,

 

“Oliver…” She breathed out, directing the wide eyed stare at him. He was still giving her that nervous little look, as if he had anything to be nervous about,

 

_ Wasn’t she already his wife? _

 

“Felicity Queen,” He started, pulling the ring from the box and scooting even closer, “You’ve been my partner through everything, through all the good times and bad, through sickness and health, through rich and poor. We’ve gotten through everything that life has thrown at us together, and now we’re starting a new chapter in our lives.” He gave a ridiculous boyish grin, taking one of her hands in his and asked, “Will you marry me?”

 

Felicity blinked, warm wetness trailing down her cheeks, and blinked again, “I thought I already answered that question once before.” She choked out, and Oliver’s eyes softened at her tears. He brought a hand up to brush her cheeks dry, leaning closer till their faces were inches away and said softly,

 

“Technically, our marriage was a bit of a whirlwind, and well, you never got the engagement you deserved. Never got the ring that you deserved. I don’t regret how we did things, I never could. But, this is a new beginning for us.” He shrugged, “I wanted to start it right.”

 

Felicity’s lower lip trembled, but she nodded her head, yes. “Yes. I’ll marry you. Again. I would marry you a million times.”

 

Oliver’s smile was blinding. As if she could've ever said anything but ‘yes’. His grip on her hand was shaky as he placed the ring on her finger, caressing the metal with a soft look in his eyes when it fit perfectly,

 

“It looks good.” He murmured and Felicity couldn’t help but laugh,

 

“It’s gorgeous.” She amended for him. Sniffling still. She took a deep breath, clearing her throat to get rid of the tears clogging her voice, “You know, this makes my gift for you look super lame.” She complained,

 

“Oh yeah? What did you get me?” He asked excitedly, and Felicity grinned. Se leaned in to kiss him, pulling away and getting up from their bed before he could even think to respond. Oliver watched as she walked over to their shared wardrobe, her hips sashaying in only a pair of her boy shorts and his henley. She came back with a black matte box, roughly the size of a shoe box, tied together with a glossy red ribbon. Oliver raised a brow as she sat down from across him again, handing over the box to him, an excited sort-of energy surrounding her,

 

“Open it.” She urged him, and he did so. Pulling off the ribbon and taking off the lid. The top was covered with tissue papers, and Oliver sifted through them eagerly,

 

She was already talking, explaining her present before Oliver had even seen it, “I know you said you wear the grease paint because a regular mask would hinder your aim. But, I did my research, and using a mask made with compressed carbon micro-fibre shouldn’t hinder your pereception-”

 

Oliver took out the forest-green almost black mask reverently, his fingers smoothing over the material. The grease paint had been a huge inconvenience, just because how hard it was to get it out every night. Not to mention, in clear bright light, it didn’t really offer much concealment. But, this… this was amazing. He looked up at Felicity to see her biting her lip nervously, the tell-tale crinkle between her eyebrows telling him that she was overthinking again. He gave her a bright smile to assuage her fears, pulling her over to him till she fell on her chest and wrapping her up in his arms,

 

“Thank you.” He said into her neck, and felt her relax, almost melt into him. He felt her press her lips onto his shoulder, burying her face into the crook of his neck right after,

 

“It’s going to be a good Christmas.” She said. Well, more like, hoped. And Oliver agreed. No matter where he was, or what was happening, as long as she was with him, He was going to be fine.

 

Just then, there was a knock on the door, making Felicity jump. Oliver tightened his hold on her for a moment before pulling away, taking the box with him to hide in his desk drawer before opening the door. Thea was on the other side of it, already dressed in casual jeans and a sleeveless bedazzled top,

 

“Hey.” She smiled at her brother, “Mom said that she’s hosting a dinner party tonight, so the kitchen’s busy right now. I was going to go to Hobbee’s for breakfast. You and Felicity wanna join me?”

 

Oliver gave his wife a questioning look, and at Felicity’s nod, agreed to Thea’s invitation. Thea left them to get ready, calling for a driver and met them a half hour later at the foyer. She had just casually glanced up from her phone when she had heard them come out, and when Felicity adjusted the strap of her handbag, something glinting on her finger caught Thea’s eyes. She focused on her hand, watched as it moved a bit animatedly as Felicity talked to her brother. It wasn’t till they had gotten much closer that Thea recognized an emerald ring.

 

An emerald ring on her brother’s girlfriend’s left ring finger.

 

Thea’s eyes widened comically, her fingers going slack and the phone falling from her grip onto the ground. The dull thud caught the couple’s attention, their brows furrowing before following Thea’s line of sight. 

 

Oliver’s face cleared, “Speedy…” Oliver started, a plea to  _ please remain calm _ clear in his voice. Thea ignored it.

  
  


“You’re engaged!” She screeched, and Felicity pursed her lips to stop from smiling too widely, just nodding in reply. In less than a blink, she had an arm full of Thea in her arms, and Felicity staggered back in surprise,

 

“Oh my god! That’s amazing!” Thea laughed, then pulled away only to throw herself at her brother, “Oh, this is so great! I’m so happy for you guys!”

 

“Thank you, Speedy.”

 

It was only once she had gotten all the hugs and kisses out of the way that Thea pulled away, only enough so that she could hit him on his arm,

 

“Ow!” Oliver protested. Thea may not have a lot of strength in her arms, but her long nails  _ hurt _ .

 

“Why didn’t you tell me you were going to propose? I could’ve helped you!” She complained, but before Oliver could answer, she already had another question, “Now that I think about it, how  _ did _ you propose?”

 

“Thea,” Oliver sighed, and took a step closer to his sister, aware of all the staff clearly eavesdropping, “Could we maybe not do this out in the open? Weren’t we on our way to Big Belly?”

 

Thea scoffed, “Well, we’re definitely not going to Hobbee’s now. This development calls for a celebration! We’re going to Big Belly.” She took Felicity’s hand in both of hers, dragging the woman and by proxy her brother towards the car, “Come on, you can tell me all about that proposal in the car.

 

>\-------|>

 

“You do realise we have to celebrate, don’t you?” Thea asked the couple casually, forking another bite-sized piece of waffle into her mouth, “We need to plan a party.” She continued with her mouth full. It made Oliver smile. He didn’t see Thea this animated a lot. Right now, she was acting every bit a seventeen year old should act.

 

“I don’t know, Thea. Like you said, Mum’s planning a dinner this evening. And me and Felicity would like to keep the engagement on the down-low for the moment. You know, soak it in for ourselves for a bit.”

Felicity snorted at his excuse. Oliver just didn’t really want to throw a party. Especially not one where he would be the main focus. But, Thea was not deterred,

 

“Of course it won’t be tonight, Ollie. It’s going to take be days just to plan everything. Plus, you need to tell mom and Walter about it. We’ll have a little family celebration before the official party.”

 

“Is the party really necessary if we’re already having a celebration?” Felicity asked hesitantly. Thea, though gave her an exasperated look, as if Felicity was being difficult on purpose,

 

“Oh, you naive little duckling,” Thea cooed, resulting in Felicity making a face at her words, “You’re going to be a Queen now, Felicity. Parties and Galas are going to be a part of your everyday life now.”

 

And oh. Felicity hadn’t thought about that. She blinked. Felicity wasn’t a very confident person by nature. Sure, she knew she was one of the best people in the world of technology, and yes, she knew that Oliver loved her (she was as sure of that fact as she was sure that 1 GB was 1000 MB). But, the other stuff? Stuff like appearances, and etiquette and leadership? Well, she was just winging it all most of the time.

 

Oliver seemed to realise where her headspace was, because he turned to give her a curious look. He must have caught the slight panic in her eyes, Panic not at the idea of being publicly married to him, but at the idea of being family to the rest of his family, because he took hold of her hand, his thumb brushing over the cool metal, and told her,

 

“No matter who you are, no matter who you become, no matter how you change, Felicity, you’re always going to be my wife. You’re always going to be the woman that  _ I _ love. Nothing is going to change that. No matter what the rest of the world says.”

 

Thea blinked at her brother, surprised. She had never known him to express his feelings so candidly, but maybe the island changed that too. Whatever the reason, the reassurance seemed to appease Felicity enough to bring a smile back to her face, and Thea felt herself go soft at the easy affection between them,

 

“It’s the same with me, Felicity.” Thea reassured, “I mean, of course you’re not going to be my wife, but at the same time, no matter what the tabloids say or what the rich gossip, you’re always going to be the sister that I want.”

 

The statement almost seemed to affect her more than Oliver’s confession. Tears brimmed in Felicity’s eyes, and in a blink, she was out of her side of the booth and next to Thea’s, pulling her side into a bear hug,

 

“Aww, Thea, I love you too!”

 

Oliver smiled as he watched Thea squawk in surprise before relaxing in Felicity’s grip, patting her arm with an affectionate little smile on her face. His two favorite girls. Watching them interact like this warmed his heart. Oliver’s phone rang just as Felicity pulled away, and Oliver fished it out of his jacket pocket, frowning when he saw it was Diggle. John was supposed to be spending the day with his nephew today, taking him to the mall to meet with Santa. They had collectively decided that the hood could probably take a day off,

 

“Hey, Digg.” Oliver greeted, picking up. John’s voice when he replied was urgent,

 

“Oliver, channel five. Right now.” Oliver frowned, but obediently, asked one of the waiters if they could please switch the channel to the said news programme, garnering worried looks from both Thea and Felicity.

 

Felicity gasped when she read the breaking news,

 

Adam Hunt Found Dead.

 

But, what was even crazier was what the Bethany Snow was saying,

 

“Adam Hunt was found dead this morning in a nondescript motel, shot thrice in his chest with Arrows.”

 

“Oh my God!” Thea stared at the television, open mouthed before turning to look at her brother, “It has to be the hood guy, right? I mean, who else could it be?”

 

But, Bethany Snow wasn’t done, “Now, whilst some people are convinced this is the vigilante’s first kill, we have some close reliable sources that believe that this was the work of a copycat.” Bethany Snow announced, “According to a few classified statements that we were able to acquire, it was clear that the arrows used during the attack are not consistent with the ones the hood uses. They’re black in color instead of green, and were clearly shot with intention to kill, whilst the vigilante has only ever maimed the criminals he has caught.”

 

Oliver watched, dread spreading through his veins where he was feeling nothing but warmth not even two minutes ago,

 

“So, really,” Said Bethany Snow, “The question is, Who is this new archer? And what are his intentions?”

 

>\-----------|>

 

“Do we know who this guy is?” Digg asked as soon as he heard the foundry door shut and footsteps echo down the stairs. Oliver sighed tiredly, feeling anger and disappointment waging a war inside him. Anger because now there was someone else in this city who was taking law in his or her hands, and they were going about it the wrong way. The entire scenario was reminding him too much of Helena. And disappointment because well, this was supposed to be a happy day. Filled with Felicity’s smiles and Thea’s teasing smiles and Diggle’s approving nods and his mother’s happy-teary eyes. Now, he would have to spend the rest of the day chasing after a wanna-be vigilante.

 

“Know. But, we’re hoping that we’ll be able to get something from the M.E report and crime scene photos.” Oliver grumbled, watched as Felicity took her seat and immediately focused on hacking into the SCPD. With her hands front and center doing all the work, it didn’t take long for Digg to notice the ring. He blinked,

 

“I thought you guys were already married.” He clarified. Oliver nodded,

 

“We are.” John tilted his head,

 

“Then, why is Felicity wearing an engagement ring?” Oliver shrugged,

 

“Because we didn’t actually get to get engaged the first time. The entire wedding idea was more of a _seize the opportunity_   kind of a thing.” Oliver said, giving Digg a boyish smirk, “Thought I might do things in the right order this time.”

 

“Alright.” Felicity said, calling her boys to her, “Here are all the reports and pictures. Adam Hunt was shot thrice in the chest, time of death around 12:30 AM last night.” She rattled out the M.E report, but Oliver was more interested in the crime scene photos, zooming in on the arrows and the wound. He grimaced at what he saw, leaning back to blow a frustrated breath,

 

“Whoever this guy is, he’s good.” Oliver said to the other two, motioning to the pictures, “The grouping on Hunt’s chest was tight. A compound bow, most likely. The guy’s a legitimate archer.”

 

“So, someone who would be particular about his arrows?” Diggle confirmed. If he had learned anything about Oliver in the past months of working with him, was that the guy was very anal about his arrows. It would be almost funny if it wasn’t so intimidating.

 

Oliver nodded, “They probably are a custom job. If we get an arrow then-”

 

“Then I can get an address.” Felicity finished for him, nodding before another thought occurred to her, “But, how are you going to get an arrow?”

 

Diggle nodded, “We can’t just wait for him to target someone else. What are you going to do?”

 

Oliver shrugged, “What anyone does when they need help.” He gave Felicity a significant look, “Call a cop.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so 1. I used to like Barry Allen. I don't like him anymore. Thus, Oliver gets his mask from someone that actually makes sense. 
> 
> 2\. I'll post the picture of the engagement ring on my tumblr and twitter if any of you are interested (it's so pretty y'all T_T)
> 
> 3\. We have finally reached the mid-season finale ;). It feels like a milestone.
> 
> Don't forget to leave feedback/kudos
> 
> You can find me on twitter @in_enochian or on tumblr @inenochian. DM me if you wanna talk. Follow me if you wanna know when I'll update next.
> 
> -ms


	19. You Are Not Alone (I've Been Here The Whole Time Singing You A Song)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, first I'm gonna clear somthing, and I might sound rude but that's only because I have been keeping this inside me for 10 days! But, here goes,  
> @AranwynNinaSong  
> YES, 1 GB is 1024 MB. But, if you were an IT student, (like I am ty) you would also know, that 1 GB is also 1000 MB. Its the whole binary vs decimal difference. 
> 
> Now then, Thank you for all the support and love and feedback y'all are giving this fic. I love ALL of you for it. I know I've been on a bit of a vacation from this fic, but 2019 has been CRAZY so far. I hope this 5.5k mammoth makes up for it. I'm almost as proud of this chapter as I was of the flashback chapter, so hopefully you guys will like this too.
> 
> Speaking of which, @Leonie Bratzel the flashback is every tenth chapter. So, lucky for you, the next chapter is going to be a flashback. If I have more ARGUS tales that I want to tell after this work is finished, I might turn this fic into a series. So stay tuned ;)
> 
> Other then that, I really hope you enjoy this chapter. I had so much fun writing this, which is saying something because the cold I have right now is a straight up bitch. Any grammatical/spelling errors are completely the cold's fault. 
> 
> HAPPY READING!!

 

It didn't take long for Quinten to agree to give the hood one of the arrows they had in the evidence lock up. Apparently the idea of a copycat vigilante was making the mayor extremely nervous and the SCPD was catching a lot of heat from the commissioner's office. Once they acquired the arrow, Oliver knew it wouldn't take too long for Felicity to get an address, 

 

“Careful.” He murmured before handing her the weapon, shaft first. Felicity rolled her eyes, 

 

“Oliver, I've been handling your arrows for years now. This isn't any different.” She replied and then promptly blushed, “I did  _ not  _ mean it like that, oh God.”

 

Oliver had to fight the urge to grin wolfishly down at her. Now was definitely not the time. Instead, he pulled up a seat next to her watching her profile quietly as she scoured the dark web for answers. He wasn't surprised when she had an address for him in moments, but even years later, he never stopped feeling impressed by her skills, 

 

“Felicity,” He said, taking the post it note from her and standing up, she tilted her head up to meet his eyes, a tiny questioning  _ hmm?  _ leaving her lips, he couldn't help it. He pressed his lips to hers for a moment, “You're remarkable.” He mumbled against her mouth, felt her smile, 

 

“Thank you for remarking on it.” She flirted back, just as bashful as she had been when he had said those words to her the first time. It made Oliver feel slightly nostalgic for that life. It might not have been as fulfilling as this one, but it sure was easier. Without all these secrets, all these double lives, it was simple. It was just him, and Felicity, day after day and everything else and everybody else was just white noise.

 

Felicity’s cell ringtone filled the quiet of the foundry then, and he picked up the phone, frowning when he saw the caller id,

 

“Who’s Alena?” Felicity perked up,

 

“Oh! That’s one of my angel investors. Alena’s weirdly very involved with my start-up. Not, that I’m complaining, she’s been really helpful.”

 

Oliver nodded, handed the phone to her, going over to change into his suit,

 

“I’ll go check out that address while you work on Smoak Tech, then.”

 

Felicity frowned, “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”She stood up, the still ringing cell in her hand forgotten for a moment, “Maybe take Digg for backup?”

 

Oliver gave her a cocky smile, walked over with his hood in hand, “I’ll be fine, honey. It’s just recon.”

 

Felicity frowned, still worried, but nodded when Oliver gave her a reassuring look. She should have more faith in him anyway. He was the strongest person she knew. And between Digg and the people at ARGUS, she knew a lot of strong people. 

 

By the time Oliver changed and left for the address, her phone had stopped ringing. She redailed Alena even as she climbed the stairs up to her office.  Felicity shuffled through the papers on her desk, spreading out all the files and documents relating to the M.A.Y.A project. 

 

“Hi!” A bubbly voice sounded through her phone, and Felicity grinned. When she had started acquiring investors for her company, she hadn’t thought that she would acquire a close friend like Alena at the same time. But, collaborating with Alena was fun. The girl reminded Felicity of herself in the most innocent of ways. She was younger than Felicity, but came from old money and was interested in the ideas that Felicity put forth. At this point though, between M.A.Y.A the AI and Felicity’s bio-stimulant working prototype, Alena was more like a partner than just a silent investor.

A fact that Felicity liked to tease Alena relentlessly about, and a fact that Alena never really denied,

 

“Hey.” Felicity said, booting up her laptop, “Just give me a few moments, Okay. I’m in my office. I can start a video call.”

 

“Felicity, it’s Christmas. I just called to send my greetings. What are you even  _ doing  _ in your office at Christmas? And how does your boyfriend,  _ Oliver Queen _ , feel about that?”

 

Felicity rolled her eyes, but stopped gathering contracts. Instead, she slumped onto her desk chair with a huff, “I was just checking in on updates. And Oliver has his own problems to attend to. Apparently, interim CEOs of multi-billion dollar conglomerates don’t have the same holiday schedule. Who knew?”

 

So, maybe out right lies weren’t a good way to start friendships, but it’s not like Felicity had a choice in the matter.

 

Alena _hmmed_ quietly through the phone, but Felicity ignored her next statement, instead tensing when she thought she heard a rustle from one of the windows in her office. She made herself relax, pulling the phone away but just a little from her ear but not hanging up. She had just chalked up the noise to her imagination when there was that rustle again.

 

It was so quiet anybody else would’ve ignored it, but Felicity knew better. Years in ARGUS had made sure she remained forever paranoid and ready for hundreds of such scenarios. But, Felicity had also let her guard down ever since she quit and came to Starling instead. Ever since she stopped being Agent Cutler, and then Agent Queen and instead became Ms. Smoak. There wasn’t a firearm taped beneath her desk, no panic button installed on the underside of her drawer. She might be good at close combat, but she could also tell from the intruder’s sleuthing skills, that he or she was also a professional. She couldn't tell where the assailant was, or when they were going to attack. She couldn’t move in case she spooked them, she couldn’t answer Alena’s concerned questions at her prolonged silence without her voice shaking,

 

Felicity knew, at that moment, that she was at her attacker’s mercy. She was scared and defenceless and so so angry about the entire situation. There should’ve been a million thoughts running through her mind then. Thoughts about Oliver, and Smoak Tech, and her life so far. But, all she could really think about was, how much more worse it was to know you were being attacked and being unable to do anything about it, than it was to be ambushed.

 

>\----------|>

Felicity was going to kill him, Oliver was sure. First, she was going to be upset that he almost got blown up, then she would patch his wounds and kiss them better till his panicked heart calmed down to a steady rhythm, and then, she was going to kill him for not taking Digg as back-up when she so  _ specifically  _ told him to.

 

Oliver hated Felicity’s loud voice. Hated it because whenever she used it, she was more sad and worried than she was angry. Hated it because whenever she used it, there were always tears shining in her eyes. Hated it because it meant that he had failed her once again. He knew that he was going to have to listen to her shout herself hoarse because of him when she saw how close she came to losing him, and He knew that he wouldn’t be able to comfort her when she did because when he acted so pigheadedly, she couldn’t bring herself to touch him, needed to get all the frustration out of her before she could allow him to kiss her.

 

He knew all that awaited him when he reached her were tears and anger and disappointment, but he was hurt, and he was scared and he was panicked because he had come so close,  _ so close, _ to losing everything, and he now when he hadn’t, now when he was relatively safe, and whole, he just wanted to see his wife.

 

Oliver frowned when he drove his bike into the foundry garage. The place was too quiet. He called out for his wife, and frowned further when he got no answer. He shook his head, changing into his civilian clothes deciding she must have just gone upstairs into her office. She was attending a call from an investor when he was leaving after all. But, when he checked all the rooms on the upper floor, and found them empty, Oliver’s heart resumed it’s panicked staccato. He implored his concious to calm down, checking his cell and tightening his grip when he saw no new texts or missed calls.

 

_ It’s okay. _ He thought to himself,  _ She’s fine. She’s probably back at the mansion. _

 

It didn’t really explain why she wouldn’t leave him a note, but Oliver didn’t let himself think too hard. It wasn’t until he called her, and her phone went to voicemail after seven rings, did he let himself get scared. Felicity could be anywhere in the world, it could be any time of day or night, but she would never miss his calls, just like he would never miss hers. It had nothing to do with expectations, nor was it a form a possession. Both of them just needed to be able to reach each other at all times. To feel safe, to know that the other person was safe. 

 

The only reason why Felicity wouldn’t pick her cell and answer him was if she physically couldn’t. If she  _ wasn’t _ safe.

 

He forced himself to give the situation the benefit of the doubt though. And he rode back to the mansion on his bike. Maybe she had just lost her phone. Maybe she found out about the explosion and was too mad at him to answer her phone. Maybe she was too busy working on Smoak Tech, too busy becoming an Over Load and controlling the tech world, to have time to answer his calls. Maybe she had found a better guy in the span of the two hours he’d been gone (one who wouldn’t scare the shit out of her by getting almost blown to pieces) and decided she just didn’t care about him anymore. There were a million different possibilities, each of them more absurd and unlikely than the previous one, but all of them better than the terrifying scenarios running through his head. 

 

Oliver reached the Queen Mansion in record time, let the bike fall to the ground, even as he climbed out, he couldn’t bother with parking it, and ran up the porch steps only to come to an abrupt halt at the foyer.

 

The Dinner Party.

 

Moira looked up from where she was talking to an elderly couple when the front doors banged open, her polite facade falling away and the disappointment showing when he saw her son. Oliver knew she had expected him to attend the dinner, but he frankly, couldn’t care less about it at the moment, or her.

 

“Mother,” He whispered sharply, pulling her away from the guests, “Have you seen Felicity?”

 

It was only then that Moira noticed the barely concealed panic in her son’s eyes. She frowned,

 

“Not since this morning, no. Why? Where were the two of you anyway?”

 

“At Smoak Tech.” He said, making up at excuse quickly, “Felicity had some work come up, and I went with her because I didn’t want her to be in the glades so late at night. I uh… went out to get some take out, and when I came back, she wasn’t there.”

 

Moira pulled her son into the family living room. It had been cut off from the rest of the party, and rubbed comforting circles over his suit jacket,

 

“Did you try calling?” Oliver rolled his eyes,

 

“Of course I did.” When Moira frowned at his callous reply, Oliver huffed, “Look, are you sure she isn’t here? Maybe you missed her with all the guests?”

 

“Mom!” They heard Thea yell from the drawing room then, the one where the party was actually being held. There was panic in her voice, and when Oliver strained his ears, he could hear the rest of the guests murmuring rather nervously. The bad feeling in his gut almost doubled him over then. Instead, he ran over to the drawing room, his eyes catching his sister’s as soon as he entered. There were tears in Thea’s eyes, a hand covering her mouth. She let out a pathetic little mewl when she saw him, 

 

“Ollie.” She whimpered, and immediately, he had her in his arms. He was clutching a remote control in her other hands, and instinctively, Oliver’s eyes went over to the TV,

 

What he saw there made him lose all his breath.

 

There, surrounded by darkness except for the camera’s flash, with a gag in her mouth and a blindfold over her eyes, was Felicity. Her ponytail was muddied and loose, her dress torn in places, blood covering the fabric where he had been cut very deliberately with a sharp blade. Her magenta lipstick was smeared and there were dark mascara mixed tear-tracks running down her cheeks.

 

Oliver had held himself together till then. He had calmed himself down, thought like his wife and exhausted every possible scenario before jumping onto the worst one. He had held out hope and let himself think rationally. 

 

Now, watching his wife held captive on national television, watching as she sobbed and struggled to no avail, Oliver let the monster inside himself  _ go. _

 

Oliver heard his mother come up behind him, and passed him inconsolable sister over to her. He tuned out their cries, their uneven breathing, the pitiful stares of the party guests. He had no place for those unnecessary emotions. He tuned out the feel of his mother’s hand on his arm, tuned out Thea’s tug at his sleeve. He only just stayed long enough to hear,

 

_ “For the past six months, this city has been laid siege by the vigilante. But, the police have been unable to bring him to justice because they lack the will to do what the justice demands.” _

 

There was a crackle on the TV, and in a moment, there was an arrow pointed at Felicity. Stupidly, Oliver surged towards the screen even as his wife cringed back from the point of the arrow,

 

_ “If the hood doesn’t surrender himself to my authority in one hour, I will kill this hostage.”  _ The tip of the arrow caressed her face, leaving a trail of blood in it’s wake and Oliver felt bile climb up his throat,  _ “I’m not trying to hide,” _ The dark Archer said to the camera,  _ “You will find us on the corner building of 24th and 8th. Please, Mr. Hood, don’t keep us waiting.” _

 

Oliver had whipped around and was already making his way back towards his bike when his mother caught hold of his hand,

 

“ _ Oliver!  _ Where are you going?!” 

 

Oliver wasn’t in his right mind then. Did not have to capacity to care about what he was saying or to who he was saying it to. All he knew that the woman he loved was going to die if he didn’t get there in time. And out of all the people in the world, out of all the people he’s ever met and loved, if there was one person he absolutely refused to lose, It was Felicity.

 

“ _ To save my wife. _ ” He snarled back at his mother. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw her recoil at his tone, his words, his face, it was anybody’s guess. But, Oliver was already out of the house, already on his bike, already on his way to save Felicity's life, and at the moment, he couldn't’ care less what anybody else thought.

 

>\------------|>

 

The dark Archer cut the film after announcing to the entirety of Starling City where they were. He turned to Felicity, his expression hidden behind the mask, but even the modulator couldn’t completely hide the glee in his voice,

 

What do you think, Ms. Smoak? Do you think he’ll come for you?” With the gag in her mouth, and the blindfold over her eyes, Felicity knew it was more of a rhetorical question than anything else. She still turned her head in the direction his voice had come from, making the dirtiest face she could with all the restraints. He laughed roughly, but she felt a gloved hand on her chin, the blindfold ripping from her eye. His head was so close to hers, all she could see was the hood and the mask, dark, stormy, fathomless eyes and nothing else,

 

“Personally, I think he’ll come.” He said, voice mechanical and low, “He chose you for a reason. You must be special to him. I just… can’t figure out why.”

 

Felicity gulped. She still couldn’t talk, but she maintained eyes contact with him. He was trying to puzzle something out,

 

“You’ve been helping him from the start, haven’t you? Ms. Smoak? Even before you got to Starling yourself.” He tilted his head, “I wonder what your boy thinks of that? Or maybe he approves. I heard the hood saved him too.”

 

She was glad he at least didn’t know about Oliver’s identity. She must have slipped up somewhere when she traced one of his arrows. Must have alerted him to her identity somehow. It was a rookie mistake. She hadn’t expected an archer to have the same technological capabilities as her, and that was obviously the wrong move to make. 

 

She could hear sirens far away, sounding closer each minute. The archer was completely unfazed by them. She could barely hear the commotion outside, but her eyes strayed over to the windows anyway,

 

“Oh don’t worry about them, Ms. Smoak, they won’t be interrupting us.” The archer spoke breezily, as if none of this was affecting them at all, “This building is wired with explosives. I made sure nobody else would be able to interrupt this special meeting.”

 

He moved away then, turning and walking, no  _ strolling,  _ out of the room, “Tell the hood I’ll be waiting for him on the first floor, will you?” He drawled out, “And remember, Ms Smoak, tik tok.”

 

Felicity watched him go, tears burning her eyes but none of them falling. She had no doubt that Oliver would come for her. They would  _ always  _ come for each other, after all. But, she worried for him. What the Dark Archer might do to him. But, even more, she worried  _ for  _ him, and what  _ he  _ might do to the Dark Archer. Oliver was still healing.  Still learning that he didn’t have to kill, didn’t have to let the darkness in, didn’t have to  _ doom  _ himself to save the rest of them. And so was so scared, so terrified that he would lose all of that progress, that salvation, at the hands of  _ one  _ mad man. 

 

Because of her. Because  _ she  _ didn’t hide her tracks carefully enough. 

 

Felicity jumped when a window burst to her right, whipping her head at the sound. A heavy breath left her when she saw the hooded figure walk over to her, his eyes looking over the entire room before locking on to hers. She pleaded with him with her eyes, she didn’t know what for exactly. There were so many things to be sorry for. There was nothing to be sorry for. He kneeled in front of the chair she was strapped to, gloved fingers gently pulling away the gag from her mouth,

 

“The camera’s switched off.” was the first thing she said. Behind the dark green grease paint, his eyes were shining with tears. Burning with anger. Hardening with resolve. Deepening with love.

 

“Are you okay?” He asked,  _ so softly,  _ it pained Felicity’s heart just to hear him. She nodded either way, and Oliver looked away to cut off the rest of her restrains. She stared at his hands, watched as his fingers worked. They were so gentle with her, his fingers, always. Never did they bruise her skin, never did they hurt her bones. He might be a monster in the eyes of many, but to her, he was the safest place to be.

 

When her hands freed, she brought them up, looping them around his shoulders, pulling him to her till their foreheads touched. His arms went around her waist, gripping at her shirt so tight it was as if she were an anchor. As if he had been on the verge of losing his sanity, but had managed to hold on to a lone teetering thread of it,

 

“I’m so sorry.” He buried his face in her neck, breathed the words into her skin. In response, she held him tighter,

 

“I’m okay.” She whispered to him. When he shook his head, she felt the wetness of his cheeks on her collarbone,

 

“No. You’re bleeding.” His voice was hoarse, but he wasn’t exactly wrong. But, her cuts weren’t deep. The scrapes were superficial at best,

 

“I’m okay, Oliver.” She nudged him till he pulled away, till their eyes locked, till their breaths came out in sync. They were calm, now. In each other’s arms. She could feel his anger, and she was sure he could feel her fear, but they were  _ calm. _ “I’m alright, honey.”

 

Oliver nodded, looked away, licking his dry lips before turning to her once again, “I’m going to kill him.” He growled, and she could almost see him turn into someone else. Someone who was still her husband, someone who still loved her, someone who would still never hurt her, but at that moment, with murder in his eyes, and a haunting darkness shrouding his face, he wasn’t Oliver Queen.

 

He was the Hood.

 

She wasn’t surprised to hear him say that, but it did sadden her. She didn’t know what to say to him to change his mind, didn’t know what would convince him to just forget about the other Archer and just take her home instead. All she knew was that he was  _ angry,  _ maybe angrier than he had ever been. She had never seen him like this, and she had known him at his darkest. He didn’t seem to expect a response anyway. He just took one look at her face, took in the conflict plain on her features, and slowly pulled her up and out of that chair,

 

“Come on. If you take the stairs up to the roof, there’s a chopper waiting.” He mumbled, pulling her towards the emergency staircase. She stared at the back of his hood, tears blurring her vision, but for a completely different reason this time. 

 

She could see the defeat set in his shoulders, as if he had already made his peace with loss. As if, no matter how the upcoming fight turned out, he had already acknowledged that he was going to lose.

 

Lose her. He was thinking. That no matter what happened tonight, after the dust settled, he was going to lose her.

 

As if she hasn’t been by his side since the very beginning. As if she hadn’t seen the hero in him even when his hands were drenched in the blood of their enemies. She couldn’t let him think that. Couldn’t let him go into a fight with nothing to fight  _ for. _

 

“Oliver.” She called out, when he didn’t acknowledge her, she pressed her heels into the floor, put all her strength into not moving forward even when he tried to pull her along. He huffed, turning around but staring at the wall over her left shoulder instead,

 

“Felicity, please-” He pleaded, no doubt he thought she was going to put her foot down on the no-killing rule. Sparing someone’s life, it made Oliver’s head an easier place to live in for him. But, it wasn’t what made him a hero. Things like always wanting to do _good,_ like sacrificing parts of himself to save others, like fighting till the very last breath in his body, _those things_ made him a hero. _Those things_ made him the man that _she_ loved,

 

“Look at me, Oliver.” She asked softly,  _ firmly,  _ when he didn’t she placed a hand over his cheek, turned his face just so, and he drank her in as if that was the only time he was going to be able to,

 

“I’m not going anywhere, Oliver.” She took a step forward, placed a hand on his heart, imagined it thumping a little harder, just a tad faster, just like hers was, “No matter what happens, I’m always going to be here.” Oliver was looking at her with wonder in his eyes, as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing,

“I’m glue, baby.” She whispered softly, and on cue, Oliver mouthed the words right along with her. She smiled wide,  _ he remembered,  _ of course he remembered. Oliver always remembered everything about her. About  _ them. _

 

Oliver sighed, a heavy breath that left his shoulders slumped in relief. He pulled her to him by her hips, turning them and pushing back till her head  _ thunked  _ dully against the wall, pressing their lips together in a kiss so long, Felicity was sure she had forgotten how to breathe by the end of it. She clutched at the strap of his quiver pathetically when he pulled away, pulling him back in for a series of chaste pecks, forgetting everything else just for those few precious moments,

 

“ _ Please _ , be careful.” She mouthed against his lips, “ _ Please, _ come back to me.”

 

“ _ Always. _ ” He breathed back, pulled away and pressed a kiss to her forehead, “Always, Felicity.”

 

He took a step back then, his breaths louder and heavier than they were minutes before. But, there was also a new determination in his steps. A new purpose.  _ The Power Of Belonging.  _ Oliver had told her once, that as long as he had her to come back home to, he was  _ never  _ going to lose. It was a cocky statement, over-confident and reckless and so many other things that should’ve made Felicity want to swat his shoulder and tell him to just train harder and be more careful instead, but she loved it. Loved that as long as she loved him, she was never going to lose him. 

 

She was going to love him forever. 

 

He let go of her hand just when they reached the roof with one last reassuring squeeze. When she looked over at him, he was back in Hood-mode. Out of the thousands of people in Starling City, The Dark Archer had managed to take from Oliver the only one person that mattered the most. He was going to pay for that.

 

“Wait for me.” He told Felicity gruffly, “I’ll come back.”

 

Felicity nodded, and then opened the roof door, and walked away.

 

>\----------|>

 

The Dark Archer had underestimated The Hood. Not physically. He knew that the Hood was strong. That he was smart and was a worthy opponent. But, after decades of experience, and after training so relentlessly under Ras Al Ghul, The Archer had learned that there were things in battle more important than strength, than strategy. Things like purpose. Like a will to live and a goal, something to fight for. 

The Archer had been sure that he would have the Hood beat when it came to the latter. The Hood may have been after justice, but The Archer was after vengeance. And vengeance was always stronger than justice. The Archer was fighting for his wife. For the love of his life. And there was nothing stronger than that. Nothing stronger than the pain he felt when he realised he was never going to see his precious Rebecca again. It had taken years to channel that pain into something else, something more powerful.

 

The Archer had wielded the pain he suffered when he lost his wife as if he were holding a bow, the fear he had felt when he listened to her voicemail, begging him to save her, as if they were arrows he was shooting into the chests of all those people who had wronged her. His mission may have been more vindictive than the Hood’s but it was also much stronger. Some might consider him a villain, but that was just because they couldn’t see how close they were to becoming him, all they were missing was a loss of a loved one. The most loved one.

 

The Hood surprised him. It was as if that fear in him was fresh. As if he had only just felt that loss and would stop and nothing and no one to never feel that kind of pain again. The Hood fought like his purpose matched The Archer’s. Like maybe his purpose  _ surpassed  _ the Archer’s. The fight was close, blow for blow and block for block, but slowly and surely, the Archer was getting beat down, but the hood seemed to come alive with every hit. He was  _ feral  _ in his moments, almost   _ predatory.  _ He didn’t hesitate with his shots, didn’t even try to maim the Archer. The Hood aimed for the chest. For the heart or the head or the lungs.

 

It took an embarrassing amount of time for The Archer to realise that The Hood was going for a kill. That he wasn’t expecting the two of them to come out of this battle on the other side.

 

It took an embarrassing amount of time for The Archer to realise that he had made a mistake taking Ms Smoak hostage. 

 

He took a step back when The Hood stalked closer. There was an arrow embedded in The Archer’s shoulder, a nerve severed till so perfectly that he couldn’t raise his bow any longer.  _ This couldn’t be the end, _ The Archer thought, desperately, knowing that it was. It really was. He stumbled back when The Hood raised his bow once again, but instead of aiming for the chest, he shot the arrow at The Archer’s feet making him fall onto the floor with a modulated scream,

 

In a moment, The Hood was standing over him, an Arrow gripped in his hand as if he was holding a dagger. He kneeled in front of the The Archer’s slumped form, jaw hard and teeth gritted, and pulled his arm up, ready to strike in a moment’s notice,

 

“You almost took her from me.” He growled at the man. The mask that he wore helped a little. Made it easier for Oliver to think of The Archer as a monster instead of a man, “I almost lost her because of you. But, I won’t. Not because of you. Not now. Not ever.”

 

And then, he stabbed him right in the heart. 

 

>\-------------|>

 

Oliver stumbled into the Starling Memorial with a limp in his left leg that he tried to cover as much as possible. The nurse took one look at him before directing him to Felicity’s room at 503. When he walked over to the elevators, he found Tommy standing in front of one of them, 

 

“Hey.” Oliver said cautiously. Tommy looked up, sighing in relief when he saw that Oliver was in one piece,

 

“Man! Me, Felicity and John were worried. Next time something like this happens,  _ call me. _ ” Tommy reprimanded, then walked over to give his friend a hug. Oliver felt himself relax slightly then, and he hugged back,

 

“Is she okay?” He asked Tommy. She had been okay except for a few cuts and scraped when he had last seen her, but he needed the confirmation anyway,

 

“According to the texts Digg’s been sending me, yeah. I haven’t seen her yet. We decided that the best route to take would be for me to be your alibi. We’ll say that when you saw Felicity on the news, you freaked and came over to me. I managed to calm you down enough to stay in one place. And you stayed over until we got a call from Thea about Felicity getting out of there safely.”

 

Oliver nodded, thankful for Tommy, because for the life of him, he didn’t have the energy to keep his cover intact. They went up to his wife’s room together, opening the door to see Moira and Thea sitting on either side of Felicity’s hospital bed, John keeping vigil from where he was leaning against the wall. Felicity perked up when she saw him, and he wasted no time before walking over to her. She met him halfway in a rather desperate hug, Oliver dropping kisses where ever he could find skin. 

 

Moira cleared her throat a little, “Maybe we should give them the room?” She asked all the occupants, but it was understood pretty widely that it wasn’t a suggestion. John and Tommy walked out silently, but when Thea stayed rooted in her place, Moira raised an eyebrow at her,

 

“I’ll be out in a moment, mom. I just need to talk to Ollie and Felicity for a moment.”

 

Moira sighed, but she knew that this wasn’t the place to start an argument. Instead, she walked out, shutting the door behind her with a quiet  _ click. _

 

Oliver situated himself comfortable next to his wife on the bed, pulling her closer till she was virtually sitting on his lap. He sent his sister a questioning look, wondering what she wanted to talk to him about. Thea gave him a wary look, looking between the couple before lowering her gaze to their intertwined hands,

 

When she looked up again, her eyes were sharp, confident. Oliver hadn’t been prepared for a lot of things in that moment, he had just killed a man. He had almost lost the woman he loved, but even at his best, Thea’s next words would still have caught Oliver off guard,

 

“I know, Ollie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO MANY CLIFFHANGERS!
> 
> Is the Dark Archer dead? If so then what happens next? If not then how? WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?  
> ALSO THEA KNOWS? DOes she though?? DOes Moira?> AGAIN, WHAT IS HAPPENEING???
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter. This was slightly inspired by this one fic i read way back when in which the dark archer had taken felciity hostage instead of taking 10 rando people. I loved that idea, and so I put it to use.
> 
> To know when I update next,  
> Follow me on twitter @in_enochian  
> or on tumblr @inenochian
> 
> Feedbacks and kudos are forever appreciated.
> 
> -m.s.


	20. I Get To Love You (It's The Best Thing That I'll Ever Do)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, let's start with the overwhelming response I recieved in the last chapter. That was amazing! All of you are amazing! I know I haven't updated in almost two weeks, but for some reason this chapter was really hard for me to write. As promised, this is flashback pt.2 I really hope it lives upto it's hype!!
> 
> @FriskyDragon, I'm sure you're especially going to enjoy thing *wink* *wink*
> 
> Y'all were so surprised by the last chapter, the comments made me laugh so hard! lol, I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much. Yes, there is a bit of a time jump, but for people who want to see Oliver and Felicity's relationship developing from the beginning, don't worry, there is also a spin-off series in the works based solely in their time at ARGUS. 
> 
> I just that that with Olicity recently getting engaged for the second time in the present time, this was a more appropriate piece to post.
> 
> Not to mention, there is also a character in this a lot of you have been asking about from Chapter 1 *wink* *wink*
> 
> Also, don't forget to KUDOS and FEEDBACK they feed my soul uwu
> 
> HAPPY READING!

_Felicity wakes up with a sigh, the strong arms banded around her waist tightening for a moment at her change in breathing. She hmms, turning around to find Oliver already looking at her. He’s always very attentive towards her, but these past few weeks, he’s been even more so. She doesn’t know what it is, but for the past few days, she’s woken up to him staring at her. She doesn’t mind at all, but she is curious, and maybe a little worried. Oliver tends to stay inside his own head a lot. It’s something they’ve been working on, and Oliver’s slowly starting to open up, but, she just hopes he isn’t unnecessarily burdenning himself with something he can share with her,_

 

_“Hey.” She croaks softly, her voice thick with sleep. Instinctively, her hand comes up to caress his jaw, “Good morning, honey. You sleep alright.”_

 

_“Yeah.” Oliver whispers back, and his voice too breaks from the disuse. His hand rubs her t-shirt clad back, fingers fanned to cover as much surface area as possible. His eyes are filled to the very brim with adoration, the normally deep blue lightened to something a bit brighter, “You are so beautiful.” He murmurs, and his voice is so reverent in that moment, Felicity’s not sure if he’s talking to her, or if it’s just an errant thought that slipped past his lips._

 

_Either way, it makes her blush red, and grin wide, “You’re not too bad yourself.” She teases him, then moves till she’s laying on top of him, her arms crossed over his chest and her chin laying on her forearms. Oliver shifts so that he’s laying on his back, his sleepy smile stretching into a matching grin. It’s a good morning, and neither of them have anything pressing to attend to. It’s a weekend, and though that usually doesn’t mean anything when one works for ARGUS, Oliver had convinced her that both of them need to take a personal day for themselves. It had been a hard sell, personal days are very rare when one works in a secret organization, but Oliver had been adamant, so Felicity had reluctantly agreed._

 

_She doesn’t exactly know what Oliver has planned, but if it’s something as ridiculous as staying in bed all day, she might just kill him._

 

_She plans to ask him just that when there’s a knock on their apartment door. The new apartment they moved into just last week, and whos address no one should know yet. Oliver tenses under her at the sound, his gaze hardening even as he rolls them over till she’s the one lying on her back,_

 

_“Hey, stay here okay? I’ll be back in a second.” He tells her, and though his voice is slightly on the curt side, she knows how much he’s trying to keep his calm. So, she doesn’t argue with him. Just nods even as he feels her lips turning down in a frown,_

 

_“Okay, but first, let me see what the security cameras pick up, yeah? It’ll just take a few moments.” She says, stretching to get her tablet from the bedside table. Oliver sighs, but moves over to the other side of the bed so that he can pick up his jeans from the floor. She accesses the security cameras in and around their apartment while Oliver dresses, brows furrowing when she sees no one. She’s about to start panicking when her eyes catch something at the corner of one of the frames._

 

_She zooms the lens of the camera capturing the hallway outside their apartment, and relaxes when she recognizes the briefcase leaning against their front door._

 

_“False alarm.” She tells Oliver, slumping back into the headboard, “It’s an ARGUS issued briefcase.” She looks up from the tablet to meet Oliver’s eyes, “We have an assignment.”_

 

_Oliver’s reaction is surprising to say the least. Felicity had anticipated some disappointment, after all, they wouldn’t be getting a day off (and Felicity can’t remember the last time she got a day off) but what she hadn’t expected was for Oliver to be angry about it. But, that’s exactly what happens. As soon as the words are out of Felicity’s mouth, Oliver just stiffens up. His jaw locking, eyes hardening, muscles tensing. He lets out a few curses for good measure before walking out of their room and into the hallway, presumably to get the darned suitcase. Felicity follows him in confusion, wondering just what had set him off._

 

_They bring the suitcase over the to dining table, and open it up. Felicity forgoes the multiple files in it in favor of the laptop. The instant she flips the lid open, the screen lights up with an incoming video call, the id reading ‘Amanda Waller’. Felicity looks down at herself, except for Oliver’s large henley and a pair of boy shorts, she’s not wearing anything. But, then again, If Director Waller wants to call them at 8:30 in the morning on their day off, she very well can’t expect them to be dressed for the occasion._

 

_Decision made, she sits down across the laptop and next to her stiff-postured boyfriend, and accepts the call with a sigh, Director sharp looks as sharp as always, with her hair in a tight bun and her bone structure popping. She raises a brow at their less than kept state, but doesn’t comment on it,_

 

_“Agent Queen, Agent Cutler, ARGUS has an assignment for you both.” She states, but before she can continue, Oliver cuts her off, his voice gruff and more than a little angry,_

 

_“We applied for this day off a month ago, can’t you ask someone else for whatever it is you want us to do?”_

 

_Amanda Waller is notoriously infamous for not taking any amount of crap from any of her agents, even ones as valuable and rare as Oliver Queen. Maybe that’s why she says what she does,_

 

_“I actually cannot, Agent Queen. Now, I expect not to be interrupted while I speak. You can propose to Agent Cutler some other time, I’m sure.”_

 

_Her tone is equal amount flippant and hard, but Felicity is only concerned with her words. Her head whips to stare at Oliver, Oliver who has virtually turned to stone next to her. His wide eyes stare at Waller in shock, as if he can’t believe that she would blow this for him, as if he can’t believe she even knows about the proposal in the first place. He can’t take his panicked gaze off of Waller long enough to look at Felicity, and the Director leans back into her seat with a superior smug expression on her face,_

 

_“You shouldn’t be so surprised, Mr.Queen. As long as you are working for me, I will have records of all the purchases you make. Combining the ring you purchased four months back with you unexpectedly asking for a day off for both you and Ms.Cutler, it really wasn’t that hard to connect the dots.”_

 

_Felicity feels a little light headed as she continues to look at Oliver. He still hasn’t moved an inch. She watches intently as his jaw works silently, teeth grinding together as he tries to find words,_

 

_“You had no right.” He growls out finally, and his eyes are lethal in their darkness, a complete opposite to how they had lit up when they had woken up together,_

 

_“I have every right.” Waller stated, the smirk still in place, “As long as you and Ms.Cutler work for me, you both belong_ to _me. The sooner you learn to accept and respect that, the easier your life will be.”_

 

_Felicity watches Oliver’s muscles bunch up, and knows any moment now, he’ll strut out in anger. She also knows how counterproductive that will be. So, she compartmentalizes the fact that Oliver wants to marry her in one corner of her mind for the moment, and instead places a hand on his leg to stop him from doing something reckless, saying to the both of them,_

 

_“Will we discuss this later. Right now, maybe Director Waller can give us our assignments?”_

 

_The last thing Felicity wants is to discuss work, but it’s the only real way to get rid of Waller long enough to talk to Oliver about the proposal. It’s not like they haven’t ever discussed marriage before, but most of those discussions had happened in jest. A sort of ‘wouldn’t it be funny if we-’ variety of talks rather than the ‘At some point down the line do you think we should-’ kind of talks. Mostly because with the life they led, Felicity wasn’t sure if Oliver could eve see this commitment between them becoming any more serious than it already was, but now she knows he does, that he wants to be more than girlfriend/boyfriend, more than partners, he wants them to be_ spouses _and it is_ blowing. her. mind _._

 

_“Very well,” Waller stated, straightening in her seat and turning serious once again, “ARGUS is going to need the two of you to fly to California today. There’s an art museum winter gala scheduled for tonight. The museum is going to showcase a rather princeless painting depicting the ancient myth of ‘Odysseus and Penelope’. We need that painting.”_

 

_Felicity frowns, “You want us to conduct a heist?”_

 

_Waller raises a brow, “Is that going to be a problem?”_

 

_For the first time, Oliver speaks up, “Who else is on this assignment with us?”_

 

_“Senior Agent Lyla Michaels from the washington branch will be accompanying you. You haven’t met yet, but she’s one of our most capable agents in the american branch.” Waller assured them, and then leaned back in her chair, “Everything you need to know about your cover identities and the art museum is in the files. Any questions?”_

 

_As usual, neither of them ask her anything. Waller only waits for half a moment before nodding, “Good. I’ll expect a full report by Tuesday at the latest. Good luck, Agents.”_

 

_The laptop screen turns black, and Felicity finally lets her mind wander away from the assignment. She turns to Oliver when she hears his chair scrape back. He’s pacing the hallway now, his head in his hands and his eyes shut tight. She goes to him without hesitation, and though he doesn’t lean into her touch, he doesn’t push her away either,_

 

_“Oliver, it’s fine.” She tries softly, but all he does is shake his head ‘no’,_

 

_“It’s really not.” He looks up at her, his eyes red, “I’ve been planning this for months. I kept it a secret from everyone and put together everything by myself, there was going to be dinner on the roof, and slow dancing, and stargazing and then, she just goes and-”_

 

_“Hey,” Felicity cuts him off before he gets too worked up, she frames his face with her hands, pushing herself up on her toes, “Oliver, this is you and me. No matter how it happens, no matter where it happens, it is always going to be perfect.”_

 

_That seems to placate him a bit, and though his body loses some of it’s tension, she can tell he’s still feeling nervous about it. There isn’t much she can do before he actually asks her ‘the question’, but at least by telling him this, she can ease his mind a little,_

 

_“Oliver,”She waits till he’s looking at her, and then smiles, “Just so you know, if you would’ve asked me, I would’ve said yes.”_

  


_That makes him smile back at her. It’s not as bright as this morning, not as carefree, but it’s real, and it’s soft, and it’s filled to it’s very brim with the purest kind of affection,_

 

_“I am going to ask you.” Oliver assures her, “As soon as this is over. And it’s going to be perfect. The kind of proposal you deserve.”_

 

_“Okay.” She whispers back, and that’s it. They pull away to go back to the files laying on the their dining table, looking over their tickets to find that they only have a couple of hours before the ARGUS issued jet is set to depart. Felicity packs up all the files back in the briefcase while Oliver goes back into their bedroom to pack a carry-on with their clothes._

 

_“Honey, which dress do you want to take with you?” He calls from inside the bedroom. She mentally goes through her wardrobe, cataloging all the dresses that would be appropriate for an extravagant art museum gala,_

 

_“The short floral one.” She calls out after a few moments of contemplation. There are sounds of fabrics rustiling from the closet before Oliver yells out,_

 

_“Felicity, you’re going to have to be a bit more specific.”_

 

_Felicity huffs, entering the kitchen and starting the coffee even as she thinks as to how to describe the dress,_

 

_“Uh… it’s a light creme floral A-line number. Has a bit of a vintage vibe.” When all she gets from her boyfriend is silence, she rolls her eyes, “I’m pretty sure I wore it for our second date-”_

 

_“Oh! I got it.” She smiles at his instant response, filling two mugs with fresh coffee. She keeps his black before dumping cream and three sugars in her own. Oliver comes out of the room just in time to make them breakfast while Felicity goes back into the room to take a shower._

 

_There are steaming stacks of pancakes when she comes back out of the bathroom, clad only in a red robe. Oliver smirks when he sees her in the silk garment, pulling her closer, his fingers chasing after each other over the material. His eyes are simmering with heat, and Felicity knows if she doesn’t nip this in the bud right now, they are going to be late for their flight,_

 

_“We don’t have time for this, Oliver.” She tells him even as she leans into him (he is shirtless, sue her)_

 

_“Then maybe you should’ve come out dressed, ‘licity.” He retorts, mouth latching onto her still warm from the shower skin. Felicity scoffs,_

 

_“This is hardly the first time you’ve seen me in this robe.”_

 

_“Hmm…” Oliver mumbles, “Feels like it.” He says, snaking his hand around her hips, dipping them under the robe and running them over her skin. The loose belt holding the robe closed gives away and Oliver tugs it down till Felicity is standing in front of him completely naked. The increasingly simmering heat in his eyes turns them molten, and Felicity accepts their fate._

 

_Maybe if they roll their pancakes and eat them on their way, they won’t miss their flight._

 

>\---------------|>

 

_California is considerably warmer than Hong Kong in November, but not so much so that Felicity has to take off her oversized coat at the airport. Instead, they hail a cab directly to their assigned hotel, only a carry-on and an ARGUS issued briefcase trailing behind them. The receptionist gives them a bright smile when they enter, and Oliver clears his throat,_

 

_“We booked a room under Schmidt.” He tells the woman across the counter, attaching a questioning lilt at the end just to be polite._

 

_They had read up on their covers on the plane. Jacob and Jane Schmidt were a young couple only recently married. Jacob Schmidt was a sales director while Jane Schmidt owned a chain of bars in Monte Carlo. They had both decided to come to California on a vacation to enjoy the beach and had managed to score a couple of invites to the museum gala through Jacob’s childhood friend who was an event manager there._

 

_“Of course, sir. I’ll check right away.” After a few moments, she gave them a nod, “Yes, there you are. Mr. and Mrs.Schmidt. Room 2106.”_

 

_Oliver and Felicity were used to going undercover as a married couple. It was hardly their first time. Hailey said it was because married couples or people who are settled in their life in general were statistically easier to trust than single people. So, in almost every undercover mission, Oliver and Felicity had taken over the role of a young married couple. Only, it was different this time. Different because, after the conversation they had this morning, it didn’t seem so much like a role anymore._

 

_Oliver avoided her eyes when she looked up at him, but his hand tightened its hold on hers. She smiled, interpreting his silent gesture for what it was, and couldn’t help but press her lips into his shoulder in a futile attempt to curb her growing smile._

 

_Their room was luxurious to say the least, but then again, their fake identity personas were supposed to be very rich. Felicity took out her dress from the suitcase and hung it behind the bathroom door just so that she could get rid of all the wrinkles before the gala that night. Oliver looked over the rest of their room, taking note of all the entry and exit points. He put their fake passports in the wardrobe safe alongside their real life id cards, grabbing a $20 bottle of sparkly water from the fridge just to spite Amanda Waller who was footing the bill for their entire assignment._

 

_They only had a couple of hours before they needed to get to the gala, and had finally decided to give Agent Michaels a call. The woman picked up the phone on the third ring,_

 

_“Hello, is this Lyla Michaels?” He spoke into the phone,_

 

_“Who’s asking?” The woman’s voice wasn’t gruff exactly, but it was definitely curt, stern and succinct in a way a soldier’s tone often was._

 

_“Queen. Waller might have told you-”_

 

_“Yes. Agent Queen. Is Agent Cutler with you?” Agent Michaels asked from the other side,_

 

_“Yes, she is. We’ve reached the hotel. I think we should go through the plan before we have to leave for the gala.”_

 

_“I’m staying in room 2203. Meet me there in fifteen minutes.” She hung up abruptly, and Oliver’s suspicion about her being some kind of a soldier increased. She talked on the phone as if she was talking on a walkie-talkie, stingy with her words and a monotone voice. When Felicity came out of the bathroom, they shared a pack of pringles between them while they went through all the information they had been given on the painting they were supposed to secure. They sat in silence, just reading before Felicity gathered enough courage to ask softly,_

 

_“Do you think this is one of the good missions?” She asked him,talking softly with her eyes on the file, “Do you think we’re going to do some good by doing this?”_

 

_Sometimes, their missions at ARGUS were for the greater good. Their first mission together was an example of that. But, sometimes, the assignments were more in the gray area than anything else, and all Felicity or Oliver could do was just not think too much about it if they wanted to continue doing their jobs._

 

_She couldn’t see how stealing a painting was going to be good for anybody, but she couldn’t stomach the idea that she was commiting a crime for another individual’s benefit. The only silver lining Felicity could see to this was that at least a painting couldn’t physically harm somebody._

 

_“I don’t know, honey.” Oliver replied, placing an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer till their sides touched, “We can only hope for the best.”_

 

_When they knocked on 2203, they were met by a woman in her early 30s. Her hair was dark and cut short, her eyes a clear crystal blue as she looked over them both,_

 

_“I’m going to need to see a badge.” She told them in a no-nonsense voice, and in tandem, both her and Oliver took out their ARGUS badge, flashing them before pocketing them back. Lyla nodded, showing them her own badge before opening the door wider to let them in. Lyla’s hotel room was identical to theirs, only her coffee table was cluttered with files and papers. They followed her in and towards the table even as Lyla discussed the strategy she had come up with,_

 

_“This assignment need not be too complicated. My plan is very cut and dry.” She said to the two of them as she spread the museum's blueprint over the table ignoring all the papers already over it. Her clear nail pointed to an entryway into the building, her eyes on the map even as she talked to them,_

 

_“This is the main door into the museum, leading to the hall where ‘Odysseus and Penelope’ is being exhibited. There on the other side of the second floor is the control room. According to the files I have on you two, among the three of us, Agent Cutler has the most technological experience, so she’s going to disable all the cameras and security systems from there.”_

 

_Felicity nodded, expression grave as she went through the path she would have to take to get to her destination,_

 

_“I’ll accompany her incase anything goes wrong. Agent Queen, I take I can count on you to get the painting. Any objections?” She raised a brow at them, not expecting any resistance. She was proved wrong when Oliver straightened, a clear sign of dominance even as his jaw clenched,_

 

_“Actually, yeah.” Lyla sighed,_

 

_“Agent Queen, if this is about a woman taking charge, then-” Oliver scoffed,_

 

_“Please, It’s not about that. You’re clearly the person with the most experience here. I don’t care if you take lead.”_

 

_Lyla gave him a confused head-tilt, “Then, what’s the matter?”_

 

_“The plan. I’m sorry, but I’m going to have ask you to let me accompany Felicity.” Lyla narrowed her eyes,_

 

_“Any particular reason?”_

 

_“Nothing against you or your gender. I would do this irrespective of who you were. There’s just no one I trust with Felicity’s safety more than myself.”_

 

_Lyla blinked, surprised, her eyes going over both of them in turn. Oliver held himself still under her inquisitive gaze, not willing to budge even an inch on this particular issue. When Lyla’s eyes landed on the other woman, Felicity was blushing, her hands fiddling with each other. It was only when the two agents in front of her stole a glance at each other did she piece together the pieces,_

 

_“You two are fraternizing.” She stated matter-of-factly._

 

_“Well,” Felicity shrugged, giving Lyla a small smile, “It’s a bit more than that. We’re_ almost _engaged.”_

 

_Oliver rolled his eyes at that statement, not because it wasn’t true, but because of how ridiculous it sounded._ Almost engaged. _She shouldn’t be “almost engaged”. She should be a hundred percent engaged and on her way to becoming his wife._

 

_“How does that happen?” Lyla asked, genuinely curious, but Oliver cut their conversation off,_

 

_“It’s a long story.” he said in explanation, “Now, then, if we’re all agreed on the new and improved plan, we should be getting ready. Our ride will be here in an hour.”_

 

_Lyla nodded, she had no objection to switching places with Agent Queen. Doing the actual stealing might actually even be more fun, “That’s fine. I’ll see both of you at the Gala.” She said, walking the pair out. They were barely out the door before Oliver reached for his girlfriend’s hand, intertwining their fingers and placing a kiss on the back of her hand, his lips landing on the knuckle of her left ring finger. Felicity shivered, leaning against his shoulder as they waited for the elevator to take them back to their room._

 

_When Felicity came out of the bathroom an hour later, dressed and ready for the gala, Oliver was reminded vividly of their fourth date. She had been wearing the same dress then. It had been more of a casual outing than an actual date. All they had done was spent an evening at the nearby park and eaten frozen yogurt. But, it had also been so domestic in it’s easiness. Conversation flowing as easy as the breaths passing between them. He had been just as entranced by her dress then as he was now. Jaw slacked and struggling for breath. Which didn’t make much sense because it wasn't as if the dress itself was in anyway revealing. It was just more about how well it fitted her, cinching at her slim waist before flaring at her hips. She had looked beautiful then, and she looks just as stunning now, if not more._

 

_Felicity smiles at his speechlessness, teasingly twirling once to show off the cutouts on her back, making Oliver’s throat go dry. It takes everything in him to remind himself that they are in the middle of an assignment and that he can’t afford to throw it all away in favor of ripping off the dress on his girlfriend’s body._

 

_“You ready?” He croaks out, then clears his throat in an attempt to preserve at least some of his dignity. By the way Felicity smiles at him almost devilishly, he doesn’t think he does a very good job. But, she doesn’t tease him, only picking up the clutch from the dresser before coming over to press a smile against his lips, pulling away before he has a chance to respond,_

 

_“Yeah. Let’s go.”_

 

_A town car parked outside the museum and Oliver got out, turning to help Felicity out before walking up the steps towards the grand double doors with a palm on her back. The usher took their invite with a nod, bowing slightly as he motioned them inside,_

 

_“Right this way, Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt. Randell here will take your coats.”_

 

_The hall exhibiting the painting was very sparsely populated with guests, all of whom were carrying a rich and sophisticated air about them. Oliver and Felicity fit right in with the rest of them as they circled the room, looking for the target painting. They had just stood in front of ‘Odysseus and Penelope’ when Oliver felt a presence to his right. He turned discreetly to see Agent Michaels staring at the painting next to him,_

 

_“The control room is one the first floor, third room to your left.” She murmured softly enough that only he heard her, “The easiest path would be to take the south staircase.”_

 

_Oliver didn’t nod, instead silently taking Felicity’s hand in his and nudging her to walk beside him. She followed his lead equally silently, and they avoided eye-contact with the rest of the guest discreetly enough that he didn’t look that they were planning something nefarious. The encountered their first guard at the top of the staircase, but Oliver took care of him easily enough, the man dropping silently in a few moments, unconscious. Felicity walked ahead of him, and found another guard waiting at the corner. She gave the heavy set man a demure smile as she walked towards him, hips sashaying just so. As expected, the guard’s eyes flickered down just for a moment, and Felicity took advantage of his distraction, sweeping her leg down at his feet with enough force that the man stumbled down, his head hitting on the wall hard enough to render him out of commission._

 

_Oliver nodded at her, his lips shut tight and eyes hard as he looked around the rest of the hallway. They had managed to take care of the two guards silently enough that the other guards around the corner of the hallway hadn’t heard the commotion. Felicity walked over to the first door, knocking for a moment. When there was no answer, she discreetly opened the door. It was an empty broom closet. She gave Oliver a nod and Oliver dragged over the first man, tossing him into the room, not before gagging him with his own kerchief and restraining his hands. He did the same with the second one before they walked over to the control room._

 

_Oliver took lead, entering the room with such ease and confidence that it took the two security personal sitting in there by surprise. For a moment, the two men just sat there, unblinking while they processed what was happening. Oliver didn’t give them time to assimilate, instead punching the first one so hard in the face, he passed out on the spot right in his chair. The second guard had just enough to to back away, pulling out his walkie-talkie with trembling hands but before he could call for help, Felicity stepped behind him, pressing her palms against his mouth and snatching the communication device from his hands. She wrapped her arm around his throat just like Oliver had taught her to, applying just enough force that the man passed out on spot,_

 

_“Nice job, honey.” She startled, whipping her head up from where she had been staring at the passed out security guard, impressed with herself. Oliver gave herself a half-smile, the best he could do in a situation this stressful, but Felicity could see the pride in his eyes._

 

_Felicity raised a brow at him, her own lip twitching in a smile. For someone who had been so adamant that she didn’t need to learn self-defence, he sure seemed happy now that he knew she could take care of herself._

 

_“Piece of cake.” She bragged with a grin, but she supposed that her harsh pants were losing her some major cool points._

 

_Oliver rolled his eyes at her fondly, “You do your thing. I’ll lock these two up with the others, okay?”_

 

_She turned back to the security system while Oliver dragged the other two guards, and gave Agent Michaels a call as she worked on disabling all the alarms,_

 

_“Yes?”_

 

_“Agent Michaels, this is Felicity. The alarms are off. The black out will be on the count of three. Secure the painting.”_

 

_“Very well, Mrs.Schmidt.” Lyla murmured just as Oliver came back to the control room. Felicity mentally counted to three and then, with a whispered prayer, shut down the power._

 

_Chaos erupted immediately from the main floor, high pitched voices of panicked women mixing with starleted exclamations of men. There were a few sounds of glass breaking, and Oliver heard guards running heavily to check out what had gone wrong. He pulled Felicity with him quick, taking the stairs two and a time and joining the fray of terrified rich people who were now leaving the premises as fast as they could. Felicity felt her phone vibrate with a text, and she swiped it open,_

 

>  
> 
> _Kylie Preston:_
> 
> _Brunch is at 11 on Saturday._

 

_Her shoulders slumped in relief. Kylie Preston was Agent Michaels’ cover, and the word ‘brunch’ was a code they had come up with to indicate that the target was acquired. She showed Oliver the text, and in the darkness, felt more than saw him nod next to her. Now, all they had to do was get out of this place._

 

_The hall was empty, and Felicity clicked her phone shut so that the entire place was pitch dark. She and Oliver crouched down onto the floor, hiding behind pillars and statues when they heard the guards making their way downstairs. Silently, Felicity pulled off her heels so as to avoid making any sound. Unlike Oliver she wasn’t used to walking silently all the time no matter what kind of footwear he was wearing. They avoid the guard’s flashlights as they crawled their way to the secret exit on the west side, where there was a staircase going over to the basement. The basement had been closed off two decades ago when Valet parking was introduced, but with the help of some older blueprints, Felicity had been able to map out an exit strategy._

 

_They were halfway across the hall and onto their path to freedom, when suddenly, unexpectedly, all the lights came back on. From beside her, Oliver cursed in mandarin, but Felicity herself was too shocked to say anything, dreading filling her veins like cold ice as all the guards swiveled in their direction, guns pointed at them._

 

_There were five of them in total, all armed, and only two of them. Even still, Oliver and Felicity stood up from the floor in sync, Oliver grabbing twin daggers from both of his ankles on the way while Felicity pulled her shot gun from the thigh holster she had had hidden under her skirt. Simultaneously, Felicity aimed and Oliver advanced over to the three guards nearest to him._

 

_The fight was loud, with gunshots and screams of pain. Felicity got nicked with a stray bullet on her shin, but she ignored the zing of pain, instead upending a table and taking cover behind it. The guards were not only chaotic but also trigger-happy. They didn’t aim before shooting, and it wasn’t until Felicity heard a clang sound from above did she realize that one of the men had managed to hit the chain holding a giant chandelier on the ceiling. Her eyes widened as the fixature swung dangerously, and she felt the entire room hold it’s breath for that instance,_

 

_“Felicity!” Oliver screamed when the chain broke off, his voice wet and torn and desperate, but the barricade of guards in front of him but it impossible from him to reach her, and he watched, his eyes wide and terrified beyond the realm of reality as time turned viscous, the chandelier dropping through the air in slow motion, Felicity’s wide eyes and cowering body, unable to do anything to save her,_

 

I’m going to lose her. _He thought,_

 

Just when he was going to have her forever, he was going to lose her.

 

_But then suddenly, there was a black blur, and Felicity was tackled out of the range of impact seconds before the Chandelier fell right were she was. Oliver couldn’t bring his mind to process, could feel the devastation coursing through his body even when he saw Felicity stumble upright with his very own eyes. The door to the basement burst open then, and in came four more ARGUS agents, apprehending and sedating the rest of the guards standing. Oliver watched as Felicity helped Agent Micheals up on her feet, the woman who had saved the love of his life._

 

_Oliver stumbled over to the two woman, not waiting a moment before gathering Felicity in his arms, the rest of the world be damned. His grip on her was tight enough that she was off of her feet. He could tell she was struggling to breath but for the life of him, he couldn’t pull away even an inch,_

 

_“Oh God, oh God, oh God-” He muttered against her neck, smushing his face into her hair and just breathing in. With some wiggling, One of Felicity’s arms looped around Oliver’s shoulder, her hand caressing the back of his head,_

 

_“Hey, I’m okay. It was just a close call, okay? I’m fine, baby.” She whispered, but it was as if a part of Oliver refused to hear it, refused to believe that he had been spared the worse kind of pain imaginable,_

 

_“I’m so sorry.” He was sobbing now, tears wetting her hair and teeth pressing against her skin, “I’m so sorry.”_

 

_Oliver didn’t know how he was going to forgive himself, if he would ever be able to forgive himself. Protecting Felicity was Oliver’s job. It was his sole purpose. Before anything else, Oliver was Felicity’s. Her lover. Her protector. How was he supposed to live with himself when he couldn’t protect her?_

 

_“This isn’t your fault.” Felicity said, and when she tried to pull away, Oliver had to make a conscious effort to loosen his grip. She didn’t move away, though, just enough so that she was looking into his eyes. They were red, she saw, and his entire face was twisted in pain, “None of this is your fault. I still love you. I will always love you.”_

 

_None of her words seem to be going through to him though, and Felicity sighed, pressing her palms on Oliver’s cheeks till his all he could do was look at her,_

 

_“Do you trust me?” She murmured to him. He didn’t answer verbally, but she took his nod as a ‘yes’,_

 

_“Do you trust me with your life, Oliver? As a person who's responsible of bringing you back home every night safe and in one piece?”_

 

_“Yes.” He whispered then, not knowing where she was going with this,_

 

_“And yet, there have been so many close calls-” Felicity started, but Oliver shook his head vehemently then,_

 

_“That’s different. I’m different.” He said with so much conviction, it brought Felicity to tears,_

 

_“No, it’s not, Oliver.” She told him, voice wobbling, lips trembling, “You’re just as precious to me as I am to you. You’re just as beloved to me as I am to you.” When Oliver closed his eyes, tears rolling down his cheeks silently, Felicity bought their heads together till their foreheads brushed, “I am just as scared of losing you as you are of losing me.”_

 

_“I don’t think I could live without you.” He confessed softly, making Felicity smile,_

 

_“I don’t think I could live without_ you. _” She replied back. She nudged her forehead to his, asking him silently to open his eyes, when he did, she gave him a watery smile, “We’re going to get married, Oliver. And we’re going to live the rest of our lives with each other. You aren’t going to lose me.”_

 

_It took a moment for Oliver to nod, and then his eyes cleared in a way that told Felicity that he had had an idea. He took her hand and pulled her with him as he began walking away from the museum. She gave him a bemused look as he hailed a cab, and blinked in confusion when he gave the driver the address to their hotel,_

 

_“We’re going back? Shouldn’t we brief Waller first? Not to mention, I still haven’t thanked Agent Michaels.”_

 

_“We can do all of that. Just, one thing first, okay?”_

 

_Felicity nodded, and sat patiently till their cab reached their hotel. Oliver surprised her again when instead of walking into the reception area, he walked them over to the street across. It wasn’t until Felicity saw where they were that she realised what was happening,_

 

_“Oh.” She breathed out, head tilted up as she looked that the chapel in front of them. It was a small grey-stone institute with a large yard spreading around it giving it a more isolated feel from the rest of the hustle and bustle of the city. When she felt Oliver squeeze her hand, he turned to him. He was already looking at her, the desperation in his eyes from a few minutes ago giving way to the soft adoration she was more accustomed to,_

 

_“I don’t have a ring right now.” He started with saying, but when Felicity shook her head, indicating that a ring was the last thing that mattered right now, Oliver smiled, and bent on a knee, “Felicity Smoak, will you make me_ the happiest man on the face of this earth _, and marry me right now?”_

 

_“Yes-”Felicity choked, and pulled Oliver up to wrap her arms around his shoulders, “God yes, Oliver. It is always going to be a yes.”_

 

_When Oliver pulled her into a kiss, Felicity couldn’t help but smile into it. Oliver bit her lip in reprimand, but that just made her giggle harder. They pulled away, and Oliver tried to nudge her towards the chapel when Felicity dug her heels in, an idea bursting in her head when she saw a boutique down the street,_

 

_“Wait!” She stopped Oliver, and when he turned to her with a confused expression, she pointed to the shop, “Let me get something white. You talk to the pastor. I’ll be back in fifteen, promise.”_

 

_Oliver smiled, pulled her in for one last kiss before letting her go, “I’ll be waiting at the altar.” He breathed out against her lips making her hmm,_

 

_“Ten minutes, and then I’m yours for the rest of my life.” She gave him a cheeky grin over her shoulder as she walked away, and Oliver shook her head, happiness bubbling inside his heart with such force he was afraid it was going to bleed into his chest. He climbed up the stairs of the chapel, ready to convince the pastor that he and his fiancee needed to get married right this second, please._

 

_By the time Felicity reached the boutique, she was breathless and smiling. The women inside gave her a wide eyed look even as they looked her up and down, and for the first time, she realised how ruffled she might be looking. She didn’t care though, instead she walked up to the girl behind the counter and said in the sweetest tone possible,_

 

_“Hi! I’m getting married in like five minutes to the love of my life, and I need the prettiest white dress you have.”_

 

_The woman, even though shocked, was clearly very pleased with the entire turn of events. She gave Felicity a matching blinding smile, and said with a pep in her voice, “Of course! Come with me.”_

 

_The walked over to the changing rooms, and while Felicity undressed, hiding her gun and holster in the folds of her clothes, the lady went through rows of dresses for the most elegant white dress she could find,_

 

_“Now, this is a bit short for a wedding,” She said, shoving the dress over the changing room curtain, “But, you’re going to look amazing in this, sweetie.”_

 

_Felicity took her word for it, changing into the dress without arguing. Her smile widened further when she looked at herself in the mirror. Sure, her hair was a bit of a disaster, and her lipstick was smudged, but the dress really did fit her like a glove. It was a mini dress, and really, the furthest thing from a traditional wedding dress, but it was white lace, and made Felicity look gorgeous, so it was good enough for her._

 

_She came out of the changing room, twirling when the lady asked her to._

 

_“I’ll take it.” Felicity said, “How much will it be?” but the lady shook her head,_

 

_“Oh, absolutely nothing, honey. Now, go get married to your man.”_

 

_Felicity smiled at the lady, expressing her thanks even as she walked back out into the streets. The walk back to the church was the shortest of her life, and when she opened the double doors, She could see Oliver on the other side of the aisle, talking to the pastor. He looked up with he heard the doors open, his eyes widening when he saw her. Felicity winked, her body feeling light and on fire, as she walked down the aisle to join him._

 

_He took her hand as soon as she was in reach, and said seriously,_

 

_“You look so beautiful, Felicity.” He had wanted to compare her to an angel, just then, but he couldn’t help but feel that even they paled in comparison. Felicity looked down at her dress, pressing her fingers to get rid of the creases,_

 

_“Thank you.” She said, looking back up, “It’s the best I could manage.”_

 

_“It’s perfect.”_

 

_The pastor cleared his throat then, and both Felicity and Oliver turned to look at him,_

 

_“I take it you’re Ms. Felicity Cutler?” At Felicity’s nod, “Very well, seeing as your boy here is so desperate to marry you, should we get started?”_

 

_When both Oliver and Felicity nodded, the Pastor continued,_

 

_“Do you have vows?”_

 

_“I do.” Oliver spoke up, and then cleared his throat, “Felicity, you’re the best part of me. You are the best thing that has_ ever _happened to me. Before I met you, I was darkness. But, then you walked into my life, and with your kindness, your generosity, your compassion, your wit, your trust, and your love, you brought me into the light. You let me know that there was more to life. That_ I deserved _more in my life. I love you. I will always love you. I’m never going to stop loving you.” He gave her a weary smile, “It’s a mortal lock.”_

 

_The pastor smiled at the couple in front of him, waiting for Felicity to stop crying before motioning for her to say her vows,_

 

_“Oliver, from the moment you walked into my life, everything changed. I became a person I didn’t even know I was capable of becoming. I became the_ best version _of myself.” She looked down at her heels, smiling because this was really happening, wasn’t it? She was marrying Oliver Queen, “You know how you say that all you want is for me to be happy?” She waited for Oliver to nod before continuing, “Well, the truth is, as long as you’re with me, no matter where we are, I am. Our love brings my life meaning, it brings my life purpose, and it makes me the happiest that I’ve ever been.” Her voice cracked, and Felicity had to stop for a few moments to gather her wits, “And I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life loving you.”_

 

_The pastor smiled softly, looking at their joined hands for a moment before continuing the ceremony,_

 

_“Do you, Felicity Cutler, take Oliver Queen to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, to love, honor and cherish, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others for as long as you both live?”_

 

_“I do.” Felicity said, bouncing on her legs in her giddiness. Oliver squeezed her fingers, hard._

 

_“And do you, Oliver Queen, take Felicity Cutler to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, to love , honor and cherish, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others for as long as you both live?”_

 

_“I do.”_

 

_“Well then, since we don’t have the rings just yet, by the power vested in me by the state of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”_

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that was how Oliver and Felicity got married. If the whole Lyla Michaels sl seems a bit incomplete rn that's because that's the way it's supposed to be for plot reasons. I hope you enjoyed this none the less.
> 
> I might end up posting a ficlet of Oliver planning the proposal in solely his pov on my tumblr at some point so look out for that! You can follow my writing process on my twitter.
> 
> For more Olicity and Fluff, Check out my other works,  
> -Tommy Queen's Adventures In Time Travel  
> -Don't Want To Know (The Other Side Of A World Without You) [a missing 7x10 scene ficlet]  
> -Couples Break Up for a Week ft. Olicity [A Buzzfeed AU]
> 
> If you wanna be notified on when I update next, to just wanna be buddies Follow me 
> 
> on twitter @ElektraSmoak  
> on tumblr @elektrasmoak

**Author's Note:**

> I know it looks like an overused plot, I KNOW! But, bear with me. This piece is going to filled with unexpected turns and plot twists. 
> 
> Also, because I love Tommy with a fierceness that should not be present for a character that lasted like one season, there will be no TommyxLaurel endgame. (Do they even have a ship name? Never heard of it.) 
> 
> REPEAT AFTER ME: **TOMMY MERLYN DESERVED BETTER**
> 
> Plus, the story id very loosely based around Dyla (Second fav ship on arrow,fyi). Obviously, Oliver and Felicity aren't divoirced. But, I really love the idea of them being secretly married and only selective people knowing about it. I loved the dynamics between Digg and Lyla because they fell in love on the battlefield (also she calls him Johnny. So CUTE *.*) and I wanted to implement some of those dynamics for Olicity in this fic.
> 
> PLUS, if it wasn't already clear, this will be a Tommy-rich fanfic.
> 
> ONE MORE TIME **TOMMY MERLYN DESERVED BETTER**


End file.
